I. Elbadawi et N. Sambanis, Why are there so many civil wars in Africa? understanding and preventing violent conflict, J AFR ECON, 9(3), 2000, pp. 244-269
Contrary to popular belief, Africa's civil wars are not due to its ethnic a
nd religious diversity. Using recently developed models of the overall inci
dence of civil wars in 161 countries between 1960 and 1999, we draw lessons
with special reference to Africa, showing that the relatively higher incid
ence of war in Africa is not due to the ethno-linguistic fragmentation of i
ts countries, but rather to high levels of poverty,failed political institu
tions and economic dependence on natural resources. We argue that the best
and fastest strategy to reduce the incidence of civil war in Africa and pre
vent future civil wars is to institute democratic reforms that effectively
manage the challenges facing Africa's diverse societies. To promote intergr
oup cooperation in Africa, specially tailored political governance and econ
omic management institutions are needed, and we advance some hypotheses on
the nature of such institutions. We suggest that Africa's ethnic diversity
in fact helps - rather than impedes - the emergence of stable development a
s it necessitates inter-group bargaining processes. These processes can be
peaceful if ethnic groups feel adequately represented by their national pol
itical institutions and if the economy provides opportunity for productive
activity.