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This Week at ISN

09 13 September 2013

Our Weekly Editorial Roundup

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Editorial Plan | Security Watch | Blog | Video

// East Africa's Insecurity in Context

Despite the combined efforts of numerous outside actors, East Africa remains in the grip of intrastate conflict, state failure and humanitarian disasters. Why is this so? Is it because of resource scarcity and extreme poverty? And if so, is the region capable of developing 'local' solutions to address these problems? To answer these questions, we begin this week by looking at the regional security dynamics of the Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes region. We then consider how the region has attempted to coordinate its security agenda and policies, although while trying to do so it continues to face two major problems access to water and food.

The Horn of Africa Security Complex

09 September 2013

Why has the Horn of Africa acquired the status of 'the most conflict-ridden region in the world'? To answer this question, Berouk Mesfin calls upon Barry Buzan's 'security complex' theory a conceptual framework that he thinks fits the Horn of Africa 'like a glove'.More

Security and Conflict in the Great Lakes Region

10 September 2013

Like the Horn of Africa, the Great Lakes region has also become synonymous with conflict and state failure. Today, Nelson Alusala and Shaantanu Shankar trace the historical antecedents of violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the ongoing border dispute between Malawi and Tanzania.More

East Africa's Fragmented Security Cooperation

11 September 2013

Since the 1990s, East Africa has developed what appears to be an impressive security architecture. Katja Lindskov Jacobsen and Johannes Riber Nordby warn, however, that appearances can be deceptive. The region's security institutions remain too nationalistic and self-interested for their own good. More

From Mistrust and Sabre Rattling to Rapprochement

12 September 2013

According to Kidan Kiros Bitsue, striking a deal over the fair use of the Nile River and its resources has been frustrated by the mutual mistrust of riparian states. Today, he explains why it is so difficult to get them to cooperate and offers his recommendations on how to move the process forward.More

Resilience, Crisis and Food Security

13 September 2013

Competition over natural resources is not the only source of conflict in East Africa. In today's video presentation, Amer Daoudi and others explain why natural and man-made disasters are also a major source of food insecurity across the region. More

// Security Watch
China's (Secret) Civil-Military Megaprojects
09 September 2013

China's military programs are deeply intertwined with the country's civilian science and technology base. Today, Michael Raska provides an overview of the 16 civil-military megaprojects that Beijing hopes will further enhance the country's scientific and technological prowess.More

Latin America's Left Gets Cozy

10 September 2013

Presidents Dilma Roussef and Evo Morales at the Mercosur Summit Meeting in 2012. Venezuela recently took over the six-month presidency of MERCOSUR, an organization that it joined only in July 2012. According to Antonio Lecuna, this turn of events reflects a growing convergence between Latin America's moderate left-wing governments and their Bolivarian counterparts. More

Ethnic Tensions Simmer on Kenyan Coast

11 September 2013

Despite the introduction of a curfew and a heightened police presence, ethnic tensions in Kenya's Tana Delta region remain high. Today, Joseph Akwiri reveals what the locals think the government better intensify its security efforts if it wants to avoid more violence in the future.More

North Korea's Soft Landing

12 September 2013

Most observers predict that the reunification of the Korean Peninsula will be more complex and expensive than was the case for East and West Germany. Think again, says Jaewoo Choo. South Korea has had decades to learn from the German experience and is well-placed to facilitate the 'soft-landing' of the North.More

Why Does Indonesia Need Apache Gunships?

13 September 2013

Why has Indonesia decided to purchase a helicopter that is designed to attack other gunships and low-flying aircraft? According to Ristian Atriandi Supryianto, the answer lies somewhere between Jakarta's capabilities upgrade program and a desire to boost the country's defense industry. More

// Blog
"Water Wars" Unlikely, But Failure of Cities Could Cause Conflict: Interview with Ben Crow
09 September 2013

Will securing access to water become the dominant source of conflict in the 21st century? Ben Crow remains unconvinced. He warns, however, that the failure to provide basic municipal services, including access to water and sanitation, may well cause instability in some cities.More

Review The Migration Industry

10 September 2013

Anastasia Christou is partially satisfied with "The Migration Industry," Thomas Gammeltoft-Hansen's and Ninna Nyberg Srensen's recent book. Yes, it reveals the complexity of this multi-million dollar business, but Christou would like to see a more ethnographically and critically grounded sequel from the authors.More

Ghana Takes Action Against Illegal Chinese Miners

11 September 2013

According to Mohamadou Kane, the recent arrest of 169 Chinese nationals for illegally mining in Ghana's Ashanti region sends out a strong message. Not only is illegal mining a serious headache for governments, if left untouched it may undermine the security of many West African states.More

Climate Change Will Bring More Surprises to Security Community: Interview with Marc Levy
12 September 2013

Like so many others, Marc Levy believes that the evidence is now overwhelming climate change has become a major cause of socio-political instability and things are only going to get worse. We should therefore expect more security shocks as things continue to deteriorate.More

Old Wine in New Wineskins: Elections in Cyprus and their 'Impact' on Negotiations
13 September 2013

Cyprus is now led by two premiers who tacitly support a final solution to the decades-long division of the island. Jan Asmussen is yet to be convinced, however, that a properly negotiated, mutually acceptable and lasting solution to the Cyprus problem is in the offing.More

// Video
Which Way to Food Security in East Africa?
This video outlines the work of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) and, in particular, its Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) Research Program. The latter explores how different social, economic and political futures might impact food security in East Africa. More

Virilio & Violence: Mark Lacy

In this video, Mark Lacy considers how the works of Paul Virilio might help us understand the interrelated roles of technology, war and global politics in the 21st century.More

Prospects of the East African Energy Market

This EastWest Institute video overviews the potential impact of recently discovered oil and natural gas deposits in East Africa. Of particular and predictable interest is the growing presence of Chinese and Western companies in the region, which in the case of energy deposits extends from Ethiopia to the southern tip of Madagascar. More

Coming Up
Next week our editorial focus examines security issues affecting eastern Africa.

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