The Transition From War to Peace in Sub Suharan Africa

The convergence of a decade of economic deterioration with the end of the cold war has created a climate in which a growing number of African governments, whether emerging from internal conflict or at peace, are exploring ways to address persistent poverty by reallocating scarce resources from military budgets. In this changing context, demobilization and reintegration programs (DRPs) for military personnel constitute the central element of the transition from war to peace. DRPs not only provide assistance to an especially vulnerable and potentially volatile group among the poor; they also help rebuild a secure foundation on which an economy can grow sustainably. The principal objective of this book is to inform Bank management and staff, client governments, international organizations, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) about best practices for improving the design and implementation of programs for demobilization, reinsertion, and reintegration in client countries. It examines ways to determine the impact of a DRP on ex-combatants. The key lessons drawn from this examination are discussed in detail and include political and social dimensions, targeting assistance, demobilization, reinsertion, reintegration, institutional concerns, management aspects, program options, external assistance, and economic impact, which have helped the Bank to crystallize a number of key policy and programmatic issues. The book also provides early warning signals of what can go wrong in the DRP process and suggests preventive actions. Intentionally, however, it does not offer a blueprint for universal application because such a generalized prescription cannot substitute for a thorough understandingof the political, social, and economic conditions and needs in a given country. This book provides a window into the complex political, economic and sociocultural transitions that face many countries. These insights can be applied toward ensuring that countries work together toward enduring peace and prosperity on the African continent.