DPRN-ASC Regional Meeting 2007

Read the final report

Plenary session: keynote addresses:
Dr. Annie Barbara Chikwanha (Institute for Security Studies, Nairobi,): The anatomy of insecurity in the East African community: linking security with development.
Sara Geenen (IOB, Antwerpen University): Struggling without arms: the reintegration of former combatants in Ruyigi (Burundi) and Kinshasa (DRC)
Dr. Abdul Lamin (University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa): Security, governance and development in West Africa: reflections from the Mano River Union, 1990 - 2007
Prof. Dr. G.J. Abbink (African Studies Centre): The price of instability: problems of political and human security in the Horn of Africa.

Han van Dijk (ASC), Chair	Jan Abbink (ASC) on the Horn of Africa

Read the preliminary programme.

Development policy and the security agenda in Africa: Reassessing the relationship

Since 9/11, increased concern about security problems in Africa has been posing new challenges for classical types of development policies. In the early 21st century, security within African states is being threatened from all sides and there are various inter-state conflicts. Some conflicts are becoming persistent, fuelled by ecological and domestic political problems as well as by international rivalries and global politics. The war against terrorism is one more visible aspect of this trend and is dominating public discourse and influencing the policies of donor countries. On the other hand, terrorist activities by radical militants and the breakdown of the monopoly on violence by African states are producing increased human suffering and misery and effectively ‘spoiling’ development processes such as institution building, democratization, productive investment and national compromise politics in pluralistic political arenas.

There is also an emerging debate in the US and the EU on the impact on national security of global climate change, which is often seen as aggravating crises in livelihood conditions and the natural environment and escalating local competition for resources and violent conflicts to enforce entitlements.

These problems have raised new questions regarding the relationship between development policies, donor involvement and security issues: How can the gap be bridged between emergency aid, the promotion of human security and development and reconstruction at various levels? How can these activities be effectively combined on the ground? What type of information is needed about security issues to develop more effective intervention in conflicts, emergencies and longer-term reconstruction activities? What are the political and economic dynamics underlying the erosion of human security and what are the most important factors to be tackled by policies and diplomatic efforts at the international, national and local level?

This DPRN study day plans to address issues raised by the new links between security thinking and development efforts by bringing together policy makers, NGO staff, representatives of the media and academics, who all have first-hand knowledge of these issues through their professional activities.

The DPRN day will host four guest speakers in the morning session and then divide into four regional groups (West, East and Central Africa and the Horn of Africa) to discuss common themes relevant to all four regions. A plenary session will discuss the reports from the four regional working sessions.



For further information, please contact Ursula Oberst (oberst@ascleiden.nl).