ABSTRACT
The prevalence and persistence of large-scale conflict has been one of the most significant obstacles to political and economic development in post-colonial Africa. Since 1956, when Sudan becameoneof thefirst sub-SaharanAfrican countries to obtain its independence,more thanone-third of the world’s civil wars have been in Africa, directly affecting one out of every two countries in the region.1 The average civil war endures for more than eight years, killing thousands,2 displacing tens of thousands, reducing economic growth, stifling democracy, and spreading conflict into neighbouring countries. Moreover, these conditions often trap countries in a cycle of violence that is difficult to break. Half of the war-affected countries have experienced two or more civil wars.
