Selected recent developments and new stories from Burundi, Central African Republic, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.
Burundi
Central African Republic
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Liberia
Sierra Leone
Region
Burundi
Violence Persists in Burundi
On 3 August 2011, Reuters Africa reported that police had killed three gunmen in the south of Burundi. Although Major General Godefriod Niyombare blamed the attacks on thieves, recent violence may be an indication of the beginning of a new rebellion and/or escalating violence in the country. Another attack came just weeks after a confrontation between soldiers and armed bandits left nine people dead, while three gunmen in Burundi’s capital, Bujumbura, were killed by police after heavy exchange of fire on Monday (8 August).
Recent violence has also reached President Nkurunziza’s doorstep. Arsonists burned down his farm in late July. Human Rights Watch suggested that Burundi should investigate political assassinations, which have been on the rise since 2010. The organization argued that members of the National Liberation Forces (FNL), a former rebel group, have been targeted and killed in recent months. In retaliation, gunmen affiliated with the FNL have started attacking local policemen and members of the ruling party.
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Central African Republic
Security Council Raises Concern over Security Situation
In a recent Security Council press statement, the Council expressed its support for CAR’s disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR) program and the peace agreement signed by the government of CAR and the Convention of Patriots for Justice and Peace (CPJP) on 12 June 2011. As one of the last active rebel groups in the country, the CPJP’s latest major attack occurred over a year ago in the town of Birao. Despite recent developments, the Security Council expressed continued concern for the security situation in northern and eastern CAR. Notably, the Council called upon the government of CAR to press on in its security sector reform (SSR) efforts and work to develop the Central African Armed Forces (FACA).
In her briefing to the Security Council, Margaret Vogt, the Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in CAR (BINUCA), made it clear that the deterioration of government institutions in CAR would destabilize the volatile region. Vogt also brought attention to the importance of protecting and empowering women and children in the region. Her concerns echoed a press statement by the Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict, which condemned the Lord’s Resistance Army’s (LRA) abduction, recruitment, and rape of children in warfare.
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Guinea
Attempted Assassination of President Condé
President Condé survived an assassination attempt in the early hours of 19 July 2011. Armed men attacked the president’s home and killed a member of the presidential guard before government reinforcements could arrive. The incident threatens to undermine the stability of Guinea’s first democratically elected government. Sixteen people, among the thirty-eight initially arrested, have been formally charged for the attack. Ten soldiers held accountable have been linked to former President Sekouba Konate and his 2010 transitional government.
Despite the involvement of mutinous soldiers in the assassination plot, President Condé insists that he still trusts the army. The President blamed the attack on high-level military leaders upset with reforms aiming to combat corruption and transition the military to civilian control.
Sylvie Lucas, Permanent Representative of Luxembourg and Chair of the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) Guinea Configuration, issued a statement urging “respect the rule of law, democracy, and national reconciliation” in Guinea.
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Guinea-Bissau
Political Stability Paves Way for Investment Opportunities
The International Business Times recently reported that political stability in Guinea-Bissau has helped develop a favorable economic outlook for the country. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) expects Guinea-Bissau’s economy to grow by 4.3% this year. Also contributing to the growth of Guinea-Bissau’s economy has been a successful government agricultural campaign, encouraging production of cashew nuts. Thus far, 160,000 tons of cashew nuts have been exported in 2011. This figure constitutes 98% of Guinea-Bissau’s exports.
Political stability in the country is progressively attracting new investors. Guinea-Bissau recently received a $6.4 million World Bank grant to promote economic expansion. Additionally, Angola announced plans to re-launch investment projects in the port of Buba and the Boé bauxite mine. Despite such encouraging developments, there is concern that economic growth is simply based on increased drug trafficking. The International Business Times suggests that short-term political stability will only translate into long-term economic development if Guinea-Bissau can successful fight drug traffickers and institute complex military reforms.
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Liberia
Amnesty International Report on Côte d’Ivoire Refugees
Côte d’Ivoire has been plagued with a countrywide crisis since recently disputed presidential elections led to widespread violence in Spring 2011. Although former president Laurent Gbagbo was arrested on 11 April 2011, Amnesty International recently released report entitled, “We want to go home, but we can’t,” points to President Ouattara’s new administration as having failed to safeguard civilians from pro-Gbagbo militias and Liberian mercenaries. According to the report, inadequate security in Côte d’Ivoire led to civilian casualties and exacerbated the refugee problem in border countries like Liberia. The threat of roving militias in Côte d’Ivoire displaced an estimated 500,000 Ivorian refugees.
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Liberia Prepares for Upcoming Elections
Campaigning has begun for the 11 October 2011 presidential and legislative elections in Liberia. President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has stated that the country needs her stable administration to progress post-conflict reconstruction. But, opposition leaders argue that statewide poverty and corruption necessitate change.
The ruling Unity Party (UP) has repeatedly denied accusations of having “connections” to the National Elections Commission (NEC), which is supposed to oversee free and fair elections. Nevertheless, the CDC is boycotting the national constitutional referendum being held on 23 August 2011. Although the referendum may further democratize the elections, opposition leaders argue that the NEC lacks the legal right to hold any national referendum.
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Sierra Leone
ManoRiver Union Concludes 2011 Summit
The Mano River Union (MRU)—Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone—completed its twentieth summit in mid-July 2011. Although the organization has existed for thirty-eight years, political conflict often prevented member states from effectively engaging the MRU. The summit concluded that the Secretariat of the MRU needed to be reformed in order to facilitate the goals of the organization.
The MRU will focus on projects to develop infrastructure, including a transnational highway across West Africa, and build partnerships in trade and commerce. It will seek out international partners to help fund such initiatives. The heads of state of the MRU countries also pledged to increase regional security. The Chair of the MRU, President Sirleaf, was particularly concerned that mercenaries leaving Côte d’Ivoire could destabilize Liberia during its upcoming October 2011 presidential election.
MRU states agreed to strengthen security along the Liberia–Côte d’Ivoire border.
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Region
Pirate Attacks Intensify Off the Gulf of Guinea
Reuters Africa reports that piracy is on the rise off the Gulf of Guinea. The Gulf is an emerging trading hub through which oil, cocoa, and metals are distributed to world markets. This year alone, there have been fifteen pirate attacks off the coast of Benin. Analysts point to an organized Nigerian gang as the orchestrator of the attacks. Pirates may have shifted operations to Benin after Nigeria raised security in its territorial waters. The pirates take advantage of poorly protected ports in West Africa to hijack transport vessels and sell lucrative commodities like oil on the black market. In response to the attacks, Benin recently appealed to the United Nations for support in combating piracy and drug trafficking off its coast.
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Country: Sierra Leone,
Guinea-Bissau,
Central African Republic,
Burundi,
Subregion - West Africa,
Subregion - East Africa,
Regional - Africa,
Liberia,
GuineaThemes: Women, Peace, Security,
Social Recovery,
Security Sector Reform,
Rule of Law,
Peace Process,
Good Governance,
Elections,
Economic Recovery,
Drug Trafficking/ Crime,
Development Policy,
DDRType: NGO
