Post-Conflict State-Building: Approaches and Strategies Proposal

Proposal Summary

Contemporary international society, along with multiple humanitarian organizations such as the United Nations, is concerned about the quality of people’s lives, observation of their rights, and creation of the environment beneficial for personal and professional development. It also presupposes the elimination of poverty and the formation of the appropriate infrastructure in areas where people lack access to health care, education, proper food provision, and protection (Roberts, 2008). However, the given task becomes extremely complex in regions characterized by the low level of development, military conflicts, or the absence of any state-building incentives that can help to achieve the given goals. Under these conditions, the given issue acquires specific meaning and additional complexity.

For post-conflict areas, state-building processes become even more challenging because of the emergence of a set of new factors that should be taken into account by the authorities and organizations responsible for success. Despite multiple attempts and efforts undertaken to guarantee stability in these countries and create infrastructure, little success has been achieved, and the situation in various regions still remains complex (Shinoda, 2018). One of the possible factors preconditioning the failure of these attempts comes from the lack of efforts to structure methods and prioritize the steps that can help states to recover and enable them to recover from conflict and create a new sustainable environment that will allow citizens to live full lives (Haass, 2019).

For Sub-Saharan Africa, the theme of post-conflict state building is complicated by the traditionally powerful negative impact of the local fragmentation, absence of a strong and legitimate power, and inappropriate access to resources, such as food and water, and services, such as healthcare or legal ones. In regions devastated by military or civil conflicts, the influence of these factors becomes even more potent and preconditions the absence of the vision on how to restore the area. Among the impediments to post-conflict peacebuilding specialists list the lack of knowledge of what resources should be used, the absence of security sector reform, and the poor idea of the region’s future (Karar, 2019). Under these conditions, it becomes vital to analyze every case and create a plan that will consider all features and factors that demand specific approaches and resources.

Regarding the information provided above, the given project is focused on post-conflict state-building process, issues, methods, and strategies peculiar to it. Because of the complexity and sophistication of the environment, the achievement of final goals might demand additional effort, which means that the correct choice of methods and consideration of all possible barriers are fundamental for positive outcomes. For this reason, the primary goal of the study is to create the theoretical background for the discussion and enhance the understanding of post-conflict state-building issues using the case of sub-Saharan Africa for comparison and debate.

Literature Review

The current body of evidence devoted to the theme of post-conflict state-building accepts the idea that the extreme complexity of this activity comes from both internal and external factors that should be considered to achieve success. First of all, the instability in the region can serve as a source of significant threat and undermine the results of activities aimed at peacebuilding. The investigators state that the inability to preserve peace and guarantee the absence of new wars with neighbors or civil conflicts is the major barrier to the restoration of peace (Džuverović, Rone and Junes, 2020). The attempts to align the functioning of the state might fail if there is no positive environment presupposing the absence of external armed forces that can use a selected nation as a target of their attacks or the base for their dislocation (Bonacker, 2018). For this reason, peacemakers and international agencies face the complex task of monitoring the situation in neighboring areas to prevent the income of foreign fighters and protect citizens of the state from new attacks.

Another problem is the unique socio-demographic environment peculiar for every location selected as the aim of peacebuilding efforts. For instance, for sub-Saharan Africa, researches admit the complexity of the current situation as there is a tendency towards the escalation of armed conflicts (Bonacker, 2018). Thus, Somalia, as one of the main sources of instability, remains aggressive and expands into northern Kenya; the war in Mozambique also continues to evolve (Kumuyi, 2017). There are also multiple conflicts in Mauritania, Mali, Burkina-Faso, and Niger characterized by intensified violence (Herbst, 2014). The given conditions are described as extremely complex, and they might precondition the failure of different attempts to rebuild a state. Additionally, armed conflicts acquire a new form in sub-Saharan Africa under the impact of the propagation of Islamist insurgency, inter-militant competition, and the impact of the pandemic (‘Amplifying the chances for stability and peace in South Sudan’, 2014). These three factors introduce multiple organizational challenges to local authorities and international agencies as they precondition the emergence of a high number of foreign fighters who empower the local insurgent organizations and make them more resilient to attempts to destroy them (Chu and Braithwaite, 2017). Moreover, it preconditions the growing number of deaths among civilians and the emergence of new acts of violence (Swaine et al., 2019).

At the same time, the process of state-building can be complicated by the conflicts within a state between representatives of different ethnic and religious groups. The region has a complex history characterized by the presence of colonial countries and the disregard of existing cultural, social, and national peculiarities and patterns (Poesche, 2019). For this reason, after the pronouncement of their independence in the 20th century, local states faced a serious problem of governing a state characterized by the increased diversity of the local population (Doces, 2020). The absence of experience in state-building in the past preconditioned the failure of multiple attempts to create a strong centralized power and the rise of ethnic and civil conflicts (Poesche, 2019). Under these conditions, there are vigorous debates on how the given complex environment and diversity can be managed in terms of state-building activities. One of the possible strategies is the creation of consociational institutions as they hold significant promise for building appropriate democratic states after military conflicts in divided societies (Wolf, 2011). It will share power between various groups within a nation and help to avoid new conflicts preconditioned by the concentration of power in the hands of one certain group (Houle and Bodea, 2017; Witmer et al., 2017). However, it might also be challenging because of the need for a special approach to every state due to its unique environment.

Another problem that might decrease the effectiveness of the state-building incentives is the corruption that is traditionally topical for areas recovering after the war. The official reports state that multiple countries in sub-Saharan Africa make serious progress towards creating a prosperous, democratic, and peaceful region in accordance with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 (African Union, no date). Unfortunately, the given achievements are undermined by the extremely high levels of corruption promoted by crony capitalism, fragility, poor governance, and weak local authorities (Kößler, 2015). A significant scope of the given problem is evidenced by the fact that there are various forms of corruption, such as political, land-based, and local ones (Akinlo, 2016). Statistics show that the public sector in sub-Saharan Africa is the most corrupt compared to other regions in the world (Akinlo, 2016). In recent years, the corruption index increased and preconditioned the growth of dissatisfaction among citizens and poverty (Akinlo, 2016). Under these conditions, the state-building process becomes impossible without a transparent system that will be monitored by powerful anti-corruption committees involving the efforts of civil society, media, and international agencies (Akinlo, 2016). Otherwise, funds needed to restore infrastructure will be used ineffectively, and poor outcomes will be achieved.

In such a way, the existing literature demonstrates that state-building efforts in post-conflict areas such as sub-Saharan Africa might be complicated by multiple barriers. Numerous military conflicts in the region serve as sources of instability and threaten attempts to restore the infrastructure. Moreover, they attract foreign fighters who empower insurgent groups and make them more resilient to local authorities (Bonacker, 2018). They penetrate the bodies of power and make their functioning complicated. The diverse ethnic composition of the region characterized by the presence of different cultures and religions is another aspect that should be considered when establishing a state (Houle and Bodea, 2017). Finally, the high level of poverty, lack of access to care, and the high corruption levels might also limit the capabilities of international organizations and local authorities and prevent them from introducing an effective and functional governance system (Ichoku and Ifelunini, 2017). For this region, the potent strategies should consider all these barriers and offer tools to mitigate their negative impacts on the area and increase the effectiveness of state-building efforts.

Objectives

The nature of the issue under investigation and its scope preconditions the formulation of the following objectives that will also serve as the guide for the study:

• to analyze the existing views on state-building efforts in areas recovering from wars and military conflicts
• to identify the basic strategies, approaches, and issues that are associated with state-building
• to determine the role of international organizations in promoting peace in such regions and assisting them in state-building efforts
• to collect information about sub-Saharan African to enhance the understanding of the current situation in the region
• to outline the major barriers that can reduce the effectiveness of post-conflict state-building efforts in sub-Saharan African
• to research the nature of the barriers outlined above
• to apply the strategies and approaches of post-conflict state-building processes to the sub-Saharan region to develop practical recommendations on how to improve the situation in the region and help states to restore
• to conclude about the major challenges, issues, and strategies of the state-building process and create the basis for new projects related to the same theme

In such a way, the given objectives come from the information outlined in the literature review, and, at the same time, are linked to the major purpose and idea of the study. The complexity of the investigated theme means that there is a need for improved data collection to create the theoretical background for the research, for this reason, the given goals are focused on data collection and its processing to enhance the view of regions in post-conflict states and debate on the strategies that can work in these areas.

The following research question is also formulated regarding the focus on the study:

• What are the current issues, approaches, and strategies related to post-conflict state-building efforts on the example of sub-Saharan Africa?

The given question correlates with the objectives offered above and can help to investigate the problem, outline the essential ideas, and formulate specific conclusions. Additionally, the research question and objectives will help to select appropriate methodology and structure the paper to present findings appropriately and understandably.

Project Outcomes

The given project is designed to achieve several outcomes. First of all, it is expected that the study will improve the current understanding of the situation in states affected by military conflicts and the problems they experience at the moment. The enhanced vision is one of the most important factors guaranteeing the success of all activities aimed at the restoration of a state. It helps to avoid misunderstandings and the use of strategies that will fail to drive positive outcomes in the selected area. Moreover, this data will serve as the theoretical framework for further discussion and debates about post-conflict state-building, its major aspects, and strategies.

Another outcome is linked to the objectives of the study, and presupposes the correct understanding of effective methods that can be used in sub-Saharan Africa to support its attempts to restore states, create the local infrastructure, and distribute power equally between various ethnic and religious groups to avoid new conflicts and form the basis for the following improvements. Additionally, the project will contribute to the acquisition of knowledge about the most important barriers and ways to overcome them. It will be achieved by reviewing the current literature devoted to the theme and reviewing the most relevant tools and strategies that are viewed as potent ones by researchers today.

Finally, the given study will help to enlarge the existing body of evidence devoted to the given topic and help to acquire a new, improved vision of the post-war state-building and problems peculiar to it. Using the case of sub-Saharan Africa and conflicts that emerged here because of the ethnic, religious, and national conflicts, the paper concludes about the major challenges that should be taken into account. That is why the project outcomes can be considered credible, practical, and valuable. The improved knowledge of strategies and issues is vital for the future success in the field and the ability to select the most suitable and potent methods that will be able to succeed and guarantee post-conflict recovery in a chosen area.

Key Questions

As stated above, the central research question is:

• What are the current issues, approaches, and strategies related to post-conflict state-building efforts on the example of sub-Saharan Africa?

However, there are several other questions important for the enhanced understanding of the current problem and its discussion. For this reason, the project also attempts to determine what are the major issues peculiar to post-conflict states and how they impact the effectiveness of state-building strategies. Answer to this question is vital for the ability to understand the scope of the problem correctly and to implement effective interventions aimed at the improvement of the situation in the region.

Another question the project answers is linked to the current dilemmas of sub-Saharan Africa. The study shows the most topical aspects that deteriorate the outcomes aimed at peacebuilding and how they can be managed to achieve success. The given information is vital for the improved understanding of the selected issue and better discussion of strategies that can show high effectiveness in terms of the environment that exists in the area nowadays. Moreover, the answer to the given question presupposes improved data collection and processing, which is vital for the paper, credibility of findings, and practical use of conclusions.

Finally, the project can answer the questions related to the use of various state-building strategies in different situations with the primary goal of achieving the desired success. It can help to understand the existing limits and how they can be overcome by applying various methods. In such a way, it is possible to conclude that the proposed project will focus on answering the most important and topical questions related to peace-building activities in regions recovering after conflicts. The list of these questions is not limited to those mentioned here; however, these are viewed as the most important ones and will be given specific attention in terms of research as answers will contribute to a better vision of the problem and its comprehensive investigation.

Research Methods

The scope of the chosen issue and its nature impacts the use of the research paradigm that will guarantee the absence of bias and collection of credible data for the analysis. For this reason, the study employs the inductive approach supported by the qualitative research methods that will help to collect information, meet the objectives of the investigation, and answer the research questions. The inductive approach means that all theories and conclusions linked to the problem under investigation will be formulated at the end of the analysis as a result of the discussion and consideration of all data related to the problem (Creswell, 2017). The adherence to this framework will provide us with an opportunity to make premises in terms of existing information and facts.

The employment of the qualitative research methodology is viewed as a beneficial tool as it helps to analyze the context and the current situation in the selected region and use it as a case-study for the investigation of the theme of state-building in post-conflict areas (Creswell, 2017). The use of the given paradigm ensures that the selected issue will be analyzed from different perspectives by collecting data from secondary and primary sources and using it to create the framework for the discussion and analysis. Finally, the qualitative methods guarantee the generation of additional knowledge related to the point of interest and provide researchers with tools needed for the in-depth analysis of the issue.

The qualitative research methodology and inductive paradigm are supported by the literature review as the potent method of data collection and case-study analysis presupposing the use of sub-Saharan Africa as the region for analyzing the state-building efforts, strategies, and problems that are associated with the issue. Moreover, the given tool is a beneficial way to collect credible and topical information about the existing situation, its important aspects, and opportunities (Creswell, 2017). In this regard, the offered project uses the qualitative methods supported by literature review and case study analysis as the way to work with data, collect and process it. The given choice is also justified by the goals formulated above and the research question the offered paper tries to answer. For this reason, it is expected that the employment of the inductive framework and qualitative means of data collection will help to avoid bias and acquire credible information.

Data Sources

The study presupposes using literature from various sources to create the theoretical framework for the discussion and guarantee that all fundamental factors are considered when analyzing the selected problem. First of all, peer-reviewed scholarly sources are taken as a credible source of data, and are information from them is integrated into the paper. It helps to avoid bias and increase the relevance of findings. Second, international agencies’ reports, such as the UN, also serve as sources of knowledge vital for studying and acquiring a better vision of the problem. Moreover, the factsheets of agencies working in the area and providing their peacebuilding and state-building efforts to nations in sub-Saharan Africa will also serve as the source of data as they help to improve the vision of the area and outline the problems peculiar to it at the moment. In such a way, the study will benefit from the use of both primary and secondary data and will be able to offer credible findings linked to the issue.

Contribution to Knowledge

It is expected that the project will help to expand knowledge related to the sphere of post-conflict state-building. First of all, it will contribute to the better vision of the central problems agencies and local governments will face in regions seized by war. Additionally, due to the objectives and the research question of the study, it will help to fill in the gaps in knowledge about the major causes for the failure of strategies or deterioration of outcomes aimed at the restoration of infrastructure and the well-being of the region. Moreover, the focus of the given study presupposes that it outlines the benefits of consociational institutions as the way to distribute power to avoid its abuse and discrimination of minorities. For this reason, the study also contributes to the better vision of this concept and the ability to apply it to different situations. Altogether, the project helps to expand knowledge in the sphere linked to state-building efforts, its strategies, and how it can be applied to real cases regarding the problems that exist at the moment.

Plan

The following plan for working on the project is offered:

1. Creation of the proposal
2. Creation of the presentation
3. Collection of data related to the chosen theme
4. Analysis of data and outlining the major issues
5. Creation of the project’s outline
6. Creation of the rough draft
7. Proofreading of the study and consultations with a supervisor
8. Creation of the final version
9. Proofreading

Observation of the given plan guarantees the in-time accomplishment of the major goals. It can be changed during the research if some issues appear or because of the supervisor’s recommendations.

List of References

African Union (no date) Agenda 2063: The Africa we want. Web.

Akinlo, T. (2016) ‘Institution and economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa (1986–2013)’, Emerging Economy Studies, 2(2), pp. 170–180.

‘Amplifying the chances for stability and peace in South Sudan: statement from the civil society platform for peacebuilding and statebuilding (CSPPS), 17 January 2014’ (2014) Journal of Peacebuilding & Development, 9(1), pp. 104–106.

Bonacker, T. (2018) ‘Security practices and the production of center–periphery figurations in statebuilding’, Alternatives, 43(4), pp. 190–206.

Chu, T. S. and Braithwaite, A. (2017) ‘The impact of foreign fighters on civil conflict outcomes’, Research & Politics.

Creswell, J. (2017) Qualitative inquiry & research design: choosing among the five approaches. 4th edn, Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.

Doces, J. A. (2020) ‘Democracy, consumption, and growth in sub-Saharan Africa’, International Area Studies Review, 23(1), pp. 28–48.

Džuverović, N., Rone, J. and Junes, T. (2020) ‘Introduction: contentious politics and international statebuilding in Southeast Europe’, East European Politics and Societies.

Haass, F. (2019) ‘The democracy dilemma. Aid, power-sharing governments, and post-conflict democratization’, Conflict Management and Peace Science.

Herbst, J. (2014) States and power in Africa: comparative lessons in authority and control. 2nd. edn. New York, NY: Princeton University Press.

Houle, C. and Bodea, C. (2017) ‘Ethnic inequality and coups in sub-Saharan Africa’, Journal of Peace Research, 54(3), pp. 382–396.

Ichoku, H. E. and Ifelunini, A. I. (2017) ‘The changing political undercurrents in health services delivery in Sub-Saharan Africa’, International Journal of Health Services, 47(3), pp. 489–503.

Karar, H. (2019) ‘Algorithmic capitalism and the digital divide in Sub-Saharan Africa’, Journal of Developing Societies, 35(4), pp. 514–537.

Kumuyi, L. O. (2017) ‘Lost in implementation? Where is gender in the Somali compact for peacebuilding and statebuilding?’, Journal of Peacebuilding & Development, 12(1), pp. 97–102.

Kößler, R. (2015) ‘Book review: corruption, good governance, and the African state: a critical analysis of the political-economic foundations of corruption in Sub-Saharan Africa’, Africa Spectrum, 50(1), pp. 112–114.

Poesche, J. (2019) ‘Coloniality in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Americas’, Journal of Developing Societies, 35(3), pp. 367–390.

Roberts, D. (2008) ‘Post-conflict statebuilding and state legitimacy: from negative to positive peace?’, Development and Change, 39(4), pp. 537-555.

Shinoda, H. (2018) ‘Peace-building and state-building from the perspective of the historical development of international society’, International Relations of the Asia Pacific, 18(1), pp. 25-43.

Swaine, A. et al. (2019) ‘Exploring the intersection of violence against women and girls with post-conflict statebuilding and peacebuilding processes: a new analytical framework’, Journal of Peacebuilding & Development, 14(1), pp. 3–21.

Witmer, F. D. et al. (2017) ‘Subnational violent conflict forecasts for sub-Saharan Africa, 2015–65, using climate-sensitive models’, Journal of Peace Research, 54(2), pp. 175–192.

Wolf, S. (2011). ‘Post-conflict state building: the debate on institutional choice’, Third World Quarterly, 32(10), pp. 1777-1802.