Somalia and Somaliland are usually presented as competitors in a zero-sum sovereignty dispute. This article develops a different proposition: internationally recognized Somaliland statehood could also advance Somalia's stabilization and state-building. The "buy one get one free" formulation describes a potential dual peace dividend rather than an automatic result. The study combines qualitative, theory-guided historical and policy analysis with in-depth expert interviews and focus group discussions. Five theoretical mechanisms are proposed. Recognition could clarify the territorial scope of Somalia's federal project, reduce political investment in forceful reunification and redirect resources toward reconciliation and public authority. It could also support security and economic cooperation with Hargeisa and reduce regional threat perceptions that complicate external support for Mogadishu. Interview participants linked the unresolved status dispute to constitutional ambiguity, nationalist mobilization, diplomatic tensions, and diverted state-building attention. The article therefore recommends a negotiated settlement covering borders, citizenship, public assets and debts, security cooperation, freedom of movement, and minority protections. If Somalia is unwilling or unable to accept separation, the international community should step in to mediate the deadlock . With these arrangements, recognition could strengthen Somaliland’s statehood and help Somalia develop a more coherent, legitimate, and governable federal state. Read more

The resurgence of military coups in West Africa has been alarming in the last decade. With over 20 failed and successful coups in recent times, the implication of this to the peace, security and stability of the region has raised serious concerns among scholars. This growing concern comes from the argument that democracy is dying as well as failing in the sub-region. More so, the sub-region is confronted with grave security, (banditry, terrorism, arms proliferation, drug trafficking, among other forms of crimes and criminality) economic (rising poverty, declining economic growth), citizens’ discontent and leadership crisis. As such, the spate of coups has been seen as the product of the aforementioned issues. ECOWAS as a sub-regional body with the task of promoting economic and political development through integration cannot fulfil this goal in the current state of coups. Therefore, this study seeks to interrogate the implications of these coups on the effectiveness of the sub-regional institution in promoting peace and maintaining democracy. Relying essentially on qualitative data, predicated on the regulative capability analytical framework, which is an integral part of Almond’s General Systems theory, the paper argues that the current approach of sanctions as a deterrent to coups is not effective enough as it affects the citizens than the military. Given this, the paper recommends that ECOWAS strengthens sub-regional democracy, promotes good governance and addresses the challenges of leadership in West Africa. Read more

The end of the cold war and the marginalization of Africa, coupled with the vicious cycle of poverty, underdevelopment, disease and internecine conflicts are reasons for the aggressive support for African regional integration and security mechanism. Meanwhile, commitments to African regional integration have been constrained by a highly ambivalent critique of the colonial heritage of sovereignty, and unwilling to transfer any of such freedom to supra-national bodies. Yet this has the potential of enhancing their ability to coordinate the implementation of collective security. The objective of this research therefore is to place the relationship between the African regional integration and the efficacy of collective security within the region. The study adopted the Survey research design. The main instrument for data collection was structured questionnaires. The Spearman rank order correlation coefficient was used in testing the hypothesis at 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that, there is a significant relationship between African regional integration and collective security/ effective deterrent to aggression, and also that, there is a significant relationship between the failure of African regional integration and the security dilemma confronting the region. The researcher therefore recommends that for the purpose of conflict management, the partnership between the UN and the AU, with its corresponding sub-regional organizations, should be akin to a pyramid. Regional security integration should rest on concepts of good governance, sound civil-military relations and commitments to democracy and human rights, and that regional security arrangements need to focus on modest measures for the prevention and containment of conflicts, rather than utopian ideas and complex institutional mechanisms. Read more