Question

3.

How has the history of Sub-Saharan Africa contributed to political instability in some nations of the region?

Answer 1

Sub-Saharan Africans have managed to bring down the number of armed conflicts (Figure 1). Combined with a lower number of coups - from twenty per decade in the period 1960-2000 to six in the 2000s and four so far in this decade - this has contributed to greater stability and stronger states. According to the State Fragility Index, most African countries have improved their resilience since 1995, bar a few exceptions such as Uganda. That should translate into a better capacity to manage conflict, develop and execute public policy, deliver public services and sustain progressive development (Systemic Peace 2014).