In Africa, war takes time and life is short

Since independence from former colonial powers in 1950s-1960s, Africa has been tormented by long-running civil wars. Hundreds of thousands had been killed either by the bullets, disease or famine. Meanwhile, tens of thousands have been displaced and millions have been forced to flee their homes.

11 years of peace

Since its independence in 1956, Sudan has only experienced 11 years of peace. The other 67 have been plagued by civil wars or revived past inter-wars.

In almost all cases, the war starts with bitter disagreement between two leaders — typically a military ruler and leader of an insurgency or rebel group — who lock horns over political and military roles.

The war of words later deteriorates into clashes that rapidly turn into full-blown war involving loyal supporters and tribes on each side.

Read more: Sudan crisis needs urgent resolution before it's too late

The exhausted leaders usually reach a peace deal after years of fighting, as one of them (or both) runs out of money to meet the demands of a growing payroll of soldiers, militiamen and foreign mercenaries.

Though full-blown civil wars have become rare today in Africa, some inter-wars still continue to date in some parts of countries such as eastern Congo, (1996-present), and in southern Somalia (1991-present).

But the ongoing conflict in Sudan could easily become a new civil war, as ego and a desire for power is a main driver of this dispute, says Alex Vines, who has led the Africa Programme at Chatham House since 2002.

"With a continent the size of Africa – there are lots of things occurring: one size does not fit all," Mr Vines told Al Majalla in an interview.  

Why so many wars?

There is a common thread of factors linking Africa's numerous wars over the past seven decades. Bad governance is one key reason.

A 2022 study by Chatham House (African agency: A paradox at the heart of governance) found that war leaders in African countries undermine global values of robust institutions, participatory democracy, accountability, the rule of law, and human rights, which are essential for state-building and growth.

Read more: In Sudan, he who has the gold makes the rules

"But the challenge is that this view has not proved to be universally shared among Africans, and particularly not so by political elites because, in some places, good governance directly threatens the systems which sustain elites in power, often fuelled by patronage," it concludes.

Abject poverty also plays well into the hands of the warring factions. Young jobless Africans are lured into taking up arms in exchange for lucrative salaries.

According to the World Bank's latest data, the countries with the highest poverty rates in the world are in Africa which has a population of over one billion. (420 million poor people in Sub-Saharan Africa, 279 million in East and Southern Africa and 137 million in Western and Central Africa.)

A third factor is natural resources. Africa is well known for this paradox: a poor continent with a wealth of fossil fuels, diamonds, gold, cobalt and other minerals.

The precious and raw materials have led to power struggle and fed several conflicts. The resource management is also characterised by lack of transparency and corruption.

Other factors help foment tensions and prolong existing wars, including foreign intervention, mercenaries who prop up one side against the other, impunity, competing ethnic groups and so-called political entrepreneurs.

Africa's political entrepreneurs

A political entrepreneur in Africa is someone who has a bit of money, guns, vehicles and connection; someone who is skilled, bold and lucky, has opportunities to rise, as defined by Alex de Waal, the veteran British researcher on African elite politics.

In his book 'The Real Politics of the Horn of Africa: Money, War and the Business of Power,' Mr de Waal explains how competing politicians and leaders operate as political entrepreneurs and business managers to seek and maintain power in an intrinsically turbulent and unpredictable system.

"Members of this elite work on the assumption that human allegiance is tradable: individuals will serve others for reward," said Mr de Waal, who's the Executive Director of the World Peace Foundation at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.

"It is repugnant because it is fundamentally inhumane, reducing human beings to mere instruments and commodities, mutating public goods into private ones, and co-opting good intentions to achieve malign outcomes."

For him, war is not fought in a context of hatred or ideological polarisation. It is thought of as a "situation." This "situation"' implies and justifies the recourse to arms and the (tragic but unavoidable) possibility of a violent encounter with a friend or a relative who was recruited to a competing faction.

As one rebel African leader explained to Mr de Waal, tribal alliances are crucial.

"But when the war is on, you have to be ready to fight. When there is no fighting, we are brothers. That's the way it is," he said.