Are National Peace Architectures Still Fit for Purpose? Rethinking Infrastructures for Peace in a Transboundary Era
Are national peace architectures, typically centred on peace councils, local peace committees, and insider mediation, still fit for purpose?
A Case for Rebooting the Tana Forum on Security in Africa
Ten years after its launch and two years of silence, there is a need to reboot the Tana Forum on Security in Africa for it to remain a strong platform enabling Africa to lead in addressing peace and security issues
Aswan Forum: Africa’s Leading Platform for Sustainable Peace and Development
The Aswan Forum for Sustainable Peace and Development was launched in 2019 during Egypt’s Chairmanship of the African Union (AU) and under the auspices of H.E. Abdelfattah El-Sisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, and Champion of Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development (PCRD) in Africa. The forum serves as a uniquely African-owned and African-led high-level […]
Malawi’s Upcoming Elections
The election calendar for Southern Africa in 2025 is smaller, with only the Seychelles, Malawi and Tanzania holding elections. The first of these countries will be Malawi, on 16 September
Remembering Professor Jannie Malan
On 23 June 2025 we said goodbye to Professor Jannie Malan—a founding pillar of ACCORD’s Research Department, a revered scholar of peace, and, above all, a deeply compassionate human being.
Leveraging Military Capabilities for the Promotion of Gender in Contemporary African Peace Operations
The effective implementation of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda in African peace operations requires strategic pragmatism. Rather than viewing militarisation as antithetical to gender equality, it can serve as an opportunity to embed gender sensitivity into the core of peace operations.
Whose Exit Strategy? Why Regional Voices Matter in UN Transitions
The United Nations (UN) and its peacekeeping missions are currently at critical crossroads. One structural obstacle with most UN transitions is the sidelining of African regional organizations.
The Demarcation Board at a Crossroads: Three Decades of Democracy and the 2026 Elections
Despite 30 years of democracy in South Africa, many municipalities still face challenges due to the legacy of apartheid, such as constrained transformation, social injustice, and persistent inequality, all of which undermine the effectiveness and legitimacy of local governance.
Africa at a Turing Point: Navigating Peril and Seizing Opportunity in a Changing Global Order
The erosion of the multilateral system risks further marginalising African countries, exposing them to bilateral power dynamics in which their structural vulnerabilities leave them at a severe disadvantage
Tackling West Africa’s VE Crises in a Political and Security Vacuum
Fifty years after ECOWAS’s establishment in 1975, its integration processes are at risk of unravelling