Africa
Even today, Africa is home to many of the poorest countries in the world. However, the continent is undergoing major changes and is experiencing economic growth.
Africa, the second-largest continent on the globe, consists of 54 independent nation states and can be subdivided into five regions: North Africa, West Africa, Central Africa, Southern Africa and East Africa. Over the course of the past 40 years, it has experienced massive population growth – today counting over a billion people of more than 3,000 ethnic groups, with great variations in culture, language and religion. The continent is still home to a considerable proportion of the world’s poor, but it is also characterized by rapid development and economic growth.
NUPI conducts wide-ranging research on Africa, in particular on issues related to social and economic development: fundamental questions concerning the conditions for state formation and democracy, as well as specific studies of individual countries and areas. Other important thematic areas include how post-conflict counties can avoid relapse, and the role of international peace operations in such circumstances – not least, the activities of the UN and the African Union.
Source: Store Norske Leksikon and NUPI.
News about Africa
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Five paradoxes EU must address to effectively respond to crises beyond its borders
4 Mar 2019Engaging in ongoing conflicts brings with it a set of extraordinary challenges.
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Is taxation the new politics of development?
17 Dec 2018According to scholars in the field of development studies, taxation might be the missing piece to the puzzle of peace- and state-building.
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Transboundary collaboration on conservation and natural resources in East Africa
5 Dec 2018How can transboundary collaboration on conservation and the management of natural resources transform a zone of war into more peaceful coexistence? The case of Uganda-Rwanda-DR Congo holds some promise.
Publications about Africa
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Publication
: ARTIKKEL_POP
Complexity thinking and adaptive peacebuilding
2019Cedric de Coning explores how complexity thinking can contribute to our understanding of how to create more inclusive peace processes, and how adaptive approaches enable local and external peacebuilders to apply new models of practice, experimentation and learning. These differ fundamentally from approaches... -
Publication
: NUPI Policy Brief
The Civilian Casualty Tracking Analysis and Response Cell in the African Union Mission in Somalia: an emerging best practice for AU peace support o...
2019The Civilian Casualty Tracking Analysis and Response Cell (CCTARC) tracks harm to civilians caused by the African Union Mission in Somalia’s (AMISOM) operations including death, injury, Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) and damage to property including livestock. The cell faces three main types of... -
Publication
Research projects about Africa
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Foto: NTB Scanpix
Research project
Fragile states and violent entrepreneurs: conflict, climate, refugees (FRAGVENT)
2018 - 2021 (Ongoing)What forms of authority underpin, enable, and extend violent entrepreneurs in fragile states, and how do the combined effects of fragile states, conflict, and climate impact this?
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Research project
Effectiveness of Peace Operations Network (EPON)
2018 - 2021 (Ongoing)NUPI together with 40 partners from across the globe have established an international network to undertake research into the effectiveness of peace operations.
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Foto: UN Photo
Research project
Support to UN Peace Operations: Ensuring More Effective UN Peace Operations (UNPO)
2017 - 2020 (Ongoing)The aim of this project is to strengthen the ability of UN peace operations to respond to global security challenges and improve their effectiveness.