Driven by genocide, civil war, political instabilities, ethnic and pastoral hostilities, the African Great Lakes Region, primarily Uganda, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Burundi, has been overwhelmingly defined by conflict. Kenneth Omeje, Tricia Redeker Hepner, and an international group of scholars, many from the Great Lakes region, focus on the interlocking conflicts and efforts toward peace in this multidisciplinary volume. These essays present a range of debates and perspectives on the history and politics of conflict, highlighting the complex internal and external sources of both persistent tension and creative peacebuilding. Taken together, the essays illustrate that no single perspective or approach can adequately capture the dynamics of conflict or offer successful strategies for sustainable peace in the region.

The Great Lakes region of Africa is characterized by protest politics, partial democratization, political illegitimacy and unstable economic growth. Many of the countries that are members of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) which are: Burundi, Angola, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Sudan, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Zambia, have experienced political violence and bloodshed at one time or another. While a few states have been advancing electoral democracy, environmental protection and peaceful state building, the overall intensity of violence in the region has led to civil wars, invasion, genocide, dictatorships, political instability, and underdevelopment. Efforts to establish sustainable peace, meaningful socio-economic development and participatory democracy have not been quite successful. Using various methodologies and paradigms, this book interrogates the complexity of the causes of these conflicts; and examines their impact and implications for socio-economic development of the region. The non-consensual actions related to these conflicts and imperatives of power struggles supported by the agents of savage capitalism have paralysed efforts toward progress. The book therefore recommends new policy frameworks within regionalist lenses and neo-realist politics to bring about sustainable peace in the region.

The book probes major security and governance trends in Africa’s Great Lakes region since the 1990s. It examines political dynamics in key states – Burundi, the DRC, Rwanda, and Uganda – as well as the role of international actors such as the AU, the EU, and the UN, thereby providing a unique perspective on efforts towards regional peace and prosperity. The authors suggest that while the region has made tremendous progress, it faces continuing challenges (including reversals in governance) that threaten future regional security.

This book provides a comprehensive analysis of the development and governance nexus in Africa’s Great Lakes region. The Great Lakes region continues to experience many challenges, yet much of the literature continues to focus on political governance, leaving behind the socio-economic aspects of the everyday lives of people in the region. This book seeks to bridge this gap in information, considering the social, economic, and cultural dynamics of the population as they inter-play with political discourse as key factors of sustainable development. Drawing on empirical cases and examples from Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, and Uganda, the book analyses each of the major governance and development issues in Great Lakes region of Africa, including region building and integration, social protection, inter-state relations, democracy and participation, and sustainability. Written by an African scholar with over 20 years of experience of working with indigenous groups in over 34 African countries, this book will be an important read for students and scholars across the fields of international relations, political studies, sustainable development (social and economic), sociology, public policy and management and public administration.

This edited work explores the sources of conflict in Africa's Great Lakes region, as well as local and international attempts to rebuild political authority and reduce the scale of human suffering.

The Great Lakes region of Africa is troubled. Burundi is experiencing continued turmoil due to a recent contentious election. The Democratic Republic of the Congo, or DRC, has had some level of conflict since the late 1990s. The Lord's Resistance Army, also known as the LRA, has plagued several of these countries. Alleged plundering of DRC resources by Rwanda and Uganda has never been fully resolved. Nations in the region have been preoccupied in the last 2 years with resolving the South Sudanese Civil War. Definitions vary, but the Great Lakes region, as defined by the U.S. Department of State, comprises Burundi, DRC, Rwanda, and Uganda. The region is among the most densely populated in Africa, especially around Lake Victoria, and enjoys rich agricultural potential, water resources, minerals, and wildlife. However, political instability, conflict, humanitarian crises, and lack of development remain key challenges.

Weaving Peace: Essays on Peace, Governance and Conflict Transformation in the Great Lakes Region of Africa provides a unique and interdisciplinary perspective on issues of peace, governance, and conflict transformation by academics and practitioners from eight partner institutions of the United Nations Mandated-University for Peace in the Great Lakes region of Africa. It is an essential tool for scholars and policymakers seeking contextual clarity behind the headlines about the nature and extent of conflicts in the region and how to go about transforming the region. It provides a rather nuanced perspective of the complexity of the peace/conflict dynamics of the region and underscores the inescapable truth of the need for a more indigenous and context-based approach to understanding the Great Lakes region of Africa.

This book describes and analyzes protracted conflicts in the Great Lakes Region of Africa. In doing so, it emphasizes obstacles to peace rather than root causes of conflict. Case studies are presented from Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Northern Kenya, Northern Uganda, Southern Sudan, and Zanzibar. Amongst other conclusions, the book shows that, to settle or transform protracted conflicts, distinction must be made between strategic and nonstrategic actors: the former must be able to prevail upon the latter in the negotiation and implementation of peace agreements. The theme and collection of the research presented in this book is unique in the literature. The case studies all employ methods of othick description, o process tracing (following particular actors and their interests), and in-depth personal interviews. The book will be of interest to academics, researchers, undergraduate and post-graduate students, and professionals in conflict theory, analysis and resolution, African and development studies, political science and international affairs, as well as to mediators, negotiators, and facilitators in conflict resolution

One global leadership challenge is managing the complexity of the political and economic climate of a society. As the global environment changes, it is essential for global leaders to adapt and develop flexible strategies for resolving conflicts and achieving peace. Global Leadership Initiatives for Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding provides emerging research on a leader’s role in the international, national, and nongovernmental organization within post-conflict resolution and peaceful leadership. While highlighting topics, such as civil society organizations, leadership education, and social reconstruction, this book explores leadership theories and practice models to conceptualize the intersection of leadership within conflict management and resolution. This book is an important resource for leaders, scholar-practitioners, educators, and researchers seeking current research on the strategic and diplomatic methods of a peaceful global organization.