Dangerous militarisation makes peace elusive

The document examines the 'militarisation of politics' in Africa, using the conflict in Ethiopia between the federal government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) as a primary example. It defines militarisation as the tendency to settle political disputes militarily and notes that this trend is often a legacy of colonial rule. The author highlights a history of military coups and civil wars across the continent, noting that by 2017, Africa had experienced 200 successful and failed coups. While the African Union (AU) has frameworks like the Lomé Declaration and the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance to prevent unconstitutional changes of government, the document argues that inconsistent implementation—such as the AU's failure to suspend Chad after the seizure of power by the Transnational Military Council—undermines these efforts. Additionally, the text notes a 17% increase in African military spending over the last decade, totaling $41.2 billion in 2019. In the Horn of Africa, the conflict involving Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Sudan risks regional destabilisation and the undoing of previous peace agreements.

• The conflict in Ethiopia is characterized by a shift from political dispute to military confrontation, with the government calling on civilians to join the war effort as rebel forces approach Addis Ababa.
• Militarisation in Africa is defined by both a qualitative aspect—gearing society toward military requirements—and a quantitative aspect involving the expansion of weapons and personnel.
• Despite African Union frameworks like the Lomé Declaration of July 2000 and the 2007 African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, Africa saw 200 successful and failed coups d'état by 2017.
• Military spending in Africa is growing faster than in other global regions, increasing by 17% over the last decade to reach $41.2 billion in 2019.
• The conflict in Ethiopia threatens stability in the Horn of Africa, involving Eritrea's military support for the Ethiopian army and creating a refugee crisis that increases tensions with Sudan.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2021). Dangerous militarisation makes peace elusive. https://saiia.org.za/research/dangerous-militarisation-makes-peace-elusive/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Dangerous militarisation makes peace elusive. 2021. https://saiia.org.za/research/dangerous-militarisation-makes-peace-elusive/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Dangerous militarisation makes peace elusive |date=19 December 2021 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/dangerous-militarisation-makes-peace-elusive/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2021dangerous, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Dangerous militarisation makes peace elusive}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2021}, month = dec, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/dangerous-militarisation-makes-peace-elusive/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }