Commentaries
When things fall apart – France’s withdrawal from Mali
When things fall apart you usually take a step back to look at what went wrong and to learn from past mistakes. Or, as in the case with France in […]
Africa
As a consequence of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, we are seeing a renewed Global Powers competition and an increasingly acute energy crisis. These developments have put the African continent centre stage again in international relations. Understanding how political and security developments within Africa shape the continent, as well as its position on the international scene, is a core objective of the Africa Programme.
In line with this aim, we contribute to increased knowledge and shape policy debates on, and in, Africa by organising expert seminars and providing in-depth research on: military interventions and security collaborations; the politics of elections; peacekeeping and peacebuilding efforts; the political economy of mining, and the development of women, peace and the security agenda, with a particular focus on the Great Lakes and the Sahel region.
Drawing on our own expertise, as well as a wide network of national and international research institutes, public authorities, and NGOs, makes the Africa Programme a central authority on matters related to Africa on a national, regional and global level.
Publications
External publications
The Old is Dying and The New Cannot Be Born (Yet?)
During the past two decades, Security Sector Reform (SSR) has been an important and visible part of international support for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Most of this […]
External publications
Facing a pandemic: African armies and the fight against Covid-19
The goal of this report is to empirically study the domestic deployment of militaries to manage the pandemic on the African continent. In this perspective, the COVID-19 crisis is a […]
Books
African Peacekeeping
The book is framed around two central arguments. The first is the importance of emphasising and understanding historical legacies and the European colonial enterprise when exploring and analysing African peacekeeping. […]
External publications
Inclusion is not enough to achieve gender and racial equality in global peace and security
The last twenty years have brought about a significant increase in the awareness of war practices that harm women, including rape and sexual abuse. However, focusing on women alone is […]
Belgian Troops for Takuba: What’s at Stake?
Belgium is once again considering a significant troop contribution to one of the French-led military operations in the Sahel region – this time Task Force Takuba. Recent years’ discussions have […]