African Wars in the 21st Century

February 2020

The Militarization of Politics and the Politicization of the Military

This inaugural report set the stage for a multi-year conversation on the militarization of African politics and the entanglement of military forces in governance. It captures insights from scholars and practitioners on civil-military relations, peacekeeping operations, the protection of civilians, and the challenges of disarmament and reintegration (DDR) in fragile contexts. By unpacking how domestic and foreign actors shape Africa’s security environment, this report calls for stronger local ownership, inclusive governance, and new frameworks to assess the effectiveness of African militaries and peace operations.

➡️ Key themes: Political legitimacy, governance, civil-military interaction, peacekeeping, DDR.