Regional security in Africa and the role of external support

The issue of peace and security in Africa has become a priority not only within the continent itself, but also for the international community. In meeting this challenge, most of the focus has been on developing military capabilities. But there have been many examples of African nations or the international community being unwilling or unable to intervene militarily in extreme situations to protect civilian populations. This article seeks to determine how and in what form external actors are supporting African efforts to ensure peace and security, and what shape future challenges may take. The paper will discuss whether there has been an excessively narrow focus on the military dimension of this problems. Implications for development policy are also considered.