The world is changing faster than we imagined and new tensions are haunting a widespread harm. We are confronted, every day, with news from people being relocated and denied of basic needs such as healthcare, employment, education, and a place to call home.
The unstable conditions and transitions, such as independence and post-independence struggles, or the pursuit for stability have left scars in almost all African countries. It is believed (Oxfam, 2007) that Africa is losing US$18 billion a year caused by conflicts and it is key to understand that those conflicts are a path to address some unique problems.
Most of the prevalence conflicts in Africa are due to high levels of poverty, failed political institutions, and economic dependence on natural resources, on contrary to popular belief, that it is an ethnic and religious issue.
There are currently 23 African countries in conflict and the types of conflict vary widely. While the severity and duration of these conflicts differ, they all have significant impacts on the affected populations. Read more