Development co-operation and conflict in Sierra Leone

Bibliographic Data

ID5681007
AuthorsVictor A B Davies (corresponding author)
Year2010
Volume10
Issue1
Pages57-76
Publication date2010-03-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueConflict Security and Development (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1467-8802 • E-ISSN: 1478-1174
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/14678800903553886
OpenAlexW1986569685
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited24

This article examines the role of development co-operation in the 1991–2001 civil war in Sierra Leone. British military intervention, sanctions against Liberia for supporting the rebellion and the deployment of UN peacekeepers were key, albeit belated, initiatives that helped resolve the conflict. The lessons are that, first, domestic forces alone may be incapable of resolving large-scale violent conflicts in Africa. Second, conflict tends to spread from one country to another, calling for strong regional conflict resolution mechanisms and deeper regional integration to promote peace. Third, donor policies need to address the root causes of state fragility, especially the political and security dimensions, which they tend to ignore. Fourth, a critical analysis is required to determine circumstances in which elections could undermine peace: the conduct of donor-supported elections under an unpopular military government in Sierra Leone culminated in an escalation of the conflict. Finally, a united international community is crucial to resolve a complex conflict and it should be accompanied by strong and timely measures informed by a full understanding of local conditions

Conflict resolution · Development economics · Economics · Peacekeeping · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Sanctions · Sierra leone · Sociology · International Development and Aid · Law · Political Conflict and Governance · Public Administration · Religion, Society, and Development