Relevance of - United Nations Economic Commission for Africa

4. Areas of potential contribution of traditional institutions
Conflict resolution, by narrowing the differences between protagonists, is one of the
strengths of African traditional institutions of governance. However, the African
continent remains plagued by many internal conflicts that emanate from problems of
state-building (nation- building). These conflicts have produced immense human losses.
These African continent now accounts for more war-related deaths than the rest of the
world combined (Human Security Report, 2005). The conflicts have led to the collapse
of the State and gross human rights violations, including genocide in some countries.
Concomitantly, the conflicts have resulted in the flow of millions of refugees, widespread
internal displacement, severe economic dislocations, and disruption in the provision of
public services. There are also growing indications that the conflicts are contributing to
the spread of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in various ways.
4.1. State-building
Africa’s process of state-building is one critical area that can benefit from the application
of the traditional mechanisms of conflict-resolution and consensual decision-making.
Settlement of border disputes among African countries is another.
The factors that cause civil wars are many and vary from case to case. In most cases,
however, these wars are manifestations of the absence of broad agreement among the
various ethnic and other sub-state entities on the terms of incorporation into the State.
African civil wars, therefore are largely challenges levelled against the State by disaffected
entities. The African State usually attempts to suppress these challenges by force, which
rarely advances state-building.
As Okafor notes, coercive approaches to state-building fail because in the contemporary
view of human rights, violent, coercive unification and repressive homogenization are
morally and socially bankrupt” (2000:525). Far from leading to long-term peace and
stability, military victory, if attained, leads only to a temporary lull in violent conflicts,
accompanied by intense resentment and resistance, which are likely to be followed by a
new cycle of hostilities. By contrast, African conflict-resolution mechanisms are designed
to establish peace and harmony in order to prevent future feuds.
Electoral mechanisms alone are also ineffective in dealing with conflict over the terms
of state-building, since people may vote along ethnic lines, thus marginalizing ethnic
minorities. Under these conditions, it is imperative that divided African countries
explore alternative dispute- resolution mechanisms and apply the traditional mechanisms
of conflict-resolution and consensus-building, at least with regard to the terms of statebuilding.
Constitutions and electoral laws can become effective mechanisms of statebuilding
if established in a consensual manner.
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