Peace and Security Council Report

The April 2013 Peace and Security Council (PSC) Report by the Institute for Security Studies provides early warning analysis and country-specific assessments for Egypt, Guinea-Bissau, and the Central African Republic (CAR), focusing on political instability, unconstitutional changes of government, and humanitarian crises.

• Egypt faced a multifaceted political crisis in early 2013 characterized by the absence of an elected parliament, escalating problems in the Sinai, and a lack of judicial independence. The country experienced significant social unrest, including violent protests in Port Said following death sentences for 21 people accused of killing football fans, which led to looting and the army being called in to assist police.
• The Egyptian economy suffered from persistent challenges due to political turmoil, with monthly inflation reaching 1.7 per cent in January 2013 and an annual rate of 6.3 per cent. Tourism dropped dramatically, and the country's financial accounts showed a deficit of 1.3 billion in 2011–2012 as nationals withdrew investments.
• Vulnerable populations in Egypt, particularly refugees, faced severe hardships, including unprovoked arrests and disappearances. The economic crisis facilitated illegal trafficking, including organ theft of kidneys, tissues, and ovaries, and the exploitation of Syrian women through forced or survival-based marriages.
• Guinea-Bissau experienced a coup on 12 April 2012 that interrupted presidential elections and the constitutional order. Stability is hindered by the military's power to install or remove civilian authorities and deep divisions within the African Party for the Independence for Guinea Bissau and Cape Verde (PAIGC).
• The military in Guinea-Bissau is largely dominated by the Balanta ethnic group, who occupy most key leadership positions. This dominance has created tensions with the Mestizo community, who are perceived as holding a monopoly on economic and political power.
• International response to the Guinea-Bissau coup was divided; while the AU suspended the country, ECOWAS took the lead in managing the transition, deploying the ECOMIB mission to replace the Angolan MISSANG mission by June 2012.
• The Central African Republic (CAR) suffered an unconstitutional change of government in March 2013 when the Seleka rebel coalition seized the capital, Bangui. The AU responded by suspending CAR's participation in AU activities and imposing travel bans and asset freezes on Seleka leaders.
• The conflict in CAR has created a severe humanitarian crisis, with over 175,000 internally displaced persons and 1.5 million people requiring assistance. Reports indicate widespread rape, looting, and the recruitment of child soldiers.
• CAR is characterized as having features of a failed state, with the 2013 UNDP Human Development Index ranking it 180th out of 187 countries. State control beyond Bangui is often limited to extortion and predation by soldiers and officials.
• External actors have significantly influenced CAR's internal affairs, including France, which has exploited uranium and maintained a military presence, and South Africa, which deployed troops under a bilateral agreement but faced criticism for not consulting neighboring countries.

APA

Kent-Brown, D., Abderrahmane, A., Lulie, H., Théroux-Bénoni, L.-A., Toupane, P. M., Boucher, L., Handy, P.-S., & Zounmenou, D. (2013). Peace and Security Council Report. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/PSC45April_13ENG2.pdf

Chicago

Kent-Brown, Duke, Abdelkader Abderrahmane, Hallelujah Lulie, Lori-Anne Théroux-Bénoni, Paulin Maurice Toupane, Lucie Boucher, Paul-Simon Handy, and David Zounmenou. Peace and Security Council Report. Institute for Security Studies, 2013. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/PSC45April_13ENG2.pdf.

Wikipedia

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BibTeX

@techreport{kentbrown2013peace, author = {Kent-Brown, Duke and Abderrahmane, Abdelkader and Lulie, Hallelujah and Théroux-Bénoni, Lori-Anne and Toupane, Paulin Maurice and Boucher, Lucie and Handy, Paul-Simon and Zounmenou, David}, title = {{Peace and Security Council Report}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2013}, month = apr, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/PSC45April_13ENG2.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }