State-building in Central Africa : a fragile strategy for fragile states
(2009) Studia Diplomatica — Vol. LXII, n° 2, p. 41-52 (NaN) (2009)
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- Abstract
- !is contribution is based on an ongoing research on State-Building policies in several countries of the Great Lakes region of Africa. !e article is written from an empirical perspective, and would require a later development of its theoreti- cal background. It is, however, based on an extensive "eld experience, acquired through participant observation in Africa (Burundi, DRC, Rwanda, CAR) as well as in Europe (Belgium Ministry for Foreign Aairs and Development Cooperation, OECD Development Aid Committee) over the past few years. It argues that the concept of fragile Statehood, and its recent answer as adopted under the form of State-Building, calls for international intervention, but also suers from contradictions undermining its coherence, usefulness, and chances of success. !ese contradictions occur at every level of analysis: local, national, sub-regional and international. !ey are caused by two main factors: "rst, State- Building is a consensual concept gathering various understandings from a whole range of bilateral and multilateral actors defending their own vision and interest. Second, State-Building is an instrumental concept, used by traditional Western donor countries to justify their proactive intervention worldwide in spite of a grow- ing discourse on local ownership and a lack of acknowledgement of the political dimensions of development assistance.
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Klimis, E. (2009). State-building in Central Africa : a fragile strategy for fragile states. Studia Diplomatica, LXII(2), 41-52 (NaN). https://hdl.handle.net/2078.5/216480 (Original work published 2009)