Looking back and reviewing security challenges in Africa in 2024.

This review paper 2024 will identify the main security challenges that result from inter-conflict in a few African countries related to external and internal intervention. The paper will highlight some of the names of the countries that have existed in inter-conflicted issues. In addition, the main disputes or concerns in the continent are border disputes, extremist movements, natural resources, and climate change, among those you will see in the paper. 

Africa has, in fact, made great strides in the area of security, while unfortunately, several nations continue to face security problems and political instability. I also pointed out the strategic point of addressing those security issues.

The following Countries are among those obtaining high insecurity attention in 2024, which is caused by various subjective factors. This is what I view as high inter-conflict across the continent by 2024. 

Sahel Region Tensions

Ø  Overlapping violence between extremist groups (e.g.ISGS, Boko Haram) across Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali intensified.

Ø  Borders between these states have become fluid zones of conflict.

Sudan-South Sudan and Ethiopia Conflicts:

• Resource disputes along shared borders, particularly over water access (Nile waters) and grazing lands, occasionally escalated.

Ethiopia-Eritrea Border Disputes

• Long-standing tensions over their shared border resurfaced in 2024, despite previous peace agreements.

• Issues over demarcation and military presence on both sides contributed to sporadic flare-ups.

Major Threats in Somalia: "Terrorism Group"

·         Primary threat:          

Al-Shabaab, an Al-Qaeda-affiliated militant group, remains the most significant threat to Somalia’s stability

Tensions along the Nile Basin

• Conflicts over water resources, especially relating to Ethiopia's Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), continued to strain relations with Egypt and Sudan.

• Diplomatic negotiations under the AU framework saw limited progress, while rhetoric between countries remained tense.

Regional Rivalries and Wars.  Relay examples are Libya remained a hotspot for proxy wars, involving external actors and impacting neighbouring Niger, Chad, and Algeria.

Lake Chad Basin Crisis

• Nigeria, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon faced cross-border movements of Boko Haram and ISWAP militants.

• The conflict zones near Lake Chad saw violent attacks and displacement of civilians, affecting the stability of all involved countries.

 Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

• The conflict escalated as DRC accused Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebel group in its eastern provinces.

• Violence in eastern DRC displaced thousands and strained relations further, despite AU mediation efforts.

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Africa's inter-conflict cases in 2024 are rooted in several factors

 Competition over Natural Resources:

• Climate change exacerbates competition for water, land, and other natural resources:

  • Tensions arise over shared rivers (e.g., Nile Basin countries).

  • Desertification pushes herders and farmers into conflict in arid regions

 Regional Instability and Spillovers:

• Political unrest in one country often spills over to neighbours due to shared ethnic groups or political alliances (e.g., Sudan and South Sudan).

 International Influence:

• Competing global powers use Africa for strategic positioning, creating further divisions through arms supply or support for opposing factions (e.g., rivalries in Libya)

 

Economic Strain and Poverty:

• High unemployment and deep inequality make youth vulnerable to recruitment by armed groups, intensifying conflicts.

Climate Change:

• The scarcity of resources due to climate impacts has heightened tensions, particularly in arid regions of the Sahel.

Weak Governance and Political Instability:

• Widespread distrust of state institutions fuels uprisings, coups (e.g., Niger), and communal militias.

• Ineffective or fragile governance leads to a lack of security in border regions.

 Extremist Movements:

• Groups like Al-Shabaab in East Africa and ISGS in the Sahel exploit state weakness and porous borders to perpetuate violence.

NB: Africa's diversity and resilience remain strengths, but addressing these inter-conflict dynamics is key to the continent's future stability.

Outlook forward to future points.

Regional Collaboration: Strengthen frameworks like AU, ECOWAS, IGAD, and SADC to manage disputes collectively.

Border Demarcation: Implement AU-assisted border resolution mechanisms to minimize territorial disputes.

Counter-Terrorism Efforts: Increase regional military cooperation to combat cross-border insurgencies.

Shared Resource Management: Develop agreements for joint use of resources such as water and minerals.

Africa's progress in managing inter-conflict cases will depend on strong regional diplomacy and a commitment to peace-building efforts.

Farah Mohamed Hirane

Peace and Security Consultant in the Horn of Africa

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E-mail: Frhlamaane@gmail.com

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