nging A reform ’sch from below A Afric societies: NORDIC AFRICA INSTITUTE ANNUAL REPORT 2011 oUr VIsIoN: African people shaping their own destiny oUr GOALs: Research of high quality Equality in determining the research agenda An impact on policy the Nordic Africa Institute (Nordiska Afrikainstitutet) is a center for research, documentation and information on modern Africa in the Nordic region. Based in Uppsala, Sweden, the Institute is dedicated to providing timely, critical and alternative research and analysis of Africa in the Nordic countries and to co-operation between African and Nordic researchers. As a hub and a meeting place in the Nordic region for a growing field of research and analysis the Institute strives to put knowledge of African issues within reach for scholars, policy makers, politicians, media, students and the general public. The Institute is financed jointly by the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden). PO Box 1703, SE-751 47 Uppsala, Sweden Phone: +46 18 56 22 00 E-mail: [email protected] www.nai.uu.se You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter. ISSN 1104-5256 Contents 5 . A year of great changes / carin norberg CONFLICT 6 . Building peace 8 . The hopes and worries of a newborn state / redie bereketeab 10 . Military structures linger in Liberia Interview with Mats Utas and Anders Themnér / mattias sköld Globalisation 14 . Crossing borders 16 . Under the cover of partnership / lisa åkesson 18 . Bridging the gap between practise and policy – Why understanding local farming techniques matters Interview with Mats Hårsmar / lina lorentz R U R A L 22 . Agrarian changes 24 . When everything depends on the rain – Drought, rain-fed agriculture and food security / terje oestigaard 26 . Global rush for land puts smallholders at risk Interview with Kjell Havnevik / lina lorentz URBAN 30 . Cities drive change 32 . Between exhiliration and pain – Hosting the All Africa Games in Maputo / ilda lindell 34 . Almajirai caught in the crossfire – Capacity of informal workers rarely recognised Interview with Onyanta Adama / mattias sköld 38 . ECAS 4 IN PICTURES 40 . PUBLISHED BY THE INSTITUTE 42 . EXTERNALLY PUBLISHED BY STAFF 44 . ACTIVITIES 47 . SCHOLARSHIPS 50 . PROGRAMME AND RESEARCH COUNCIL, STAFF AND GUESTS 52 . FINANCIAL STATEMENT The photo on the front cover: Thousands of people gather in Juba, South Sudan, to hear the declaration of independence read aloud as the region celebrated its independence on 9 July, 2011. Photo: Ruth Fremson, The New York Times choices in relation to ongoing global developments. The conference attracted more than 1,000 scholars A year of from 70 countries, about a fourth of the partici- pants came from Africa. A total of 240 panel great changes sessions and seven round tables were held. The theme was also captured in a special book: he year that passed showed an unprec- African Engagements – Africa Negotiating an edented movement of resistance and Emerging Multipolar World that was launched at change in Africa. The ousting of three the conference. It gives an idea about how Africa’s leadersT in North Africa – the Arab Spring – has engagements with the world are currently being already, and will no doubt continue to influence reshaped and revalued. The chapters raise ques- politics across the continent. In this 2011 issue tions of how the influence of China, India and of our Annual Report we reflect on the dynam- Brazil can offer African countries and groups ics of change from below. greater room for negotiation and manoeuvre. On 9 January 2011, while leaders in northern moving INto 2012 NAI is proud to announce its Africa were only starting to feel the tremble of 50th anniversary. The institute was established coming revolutions, a different demonstration on 4th September 1962 at a time when important of popular strength was taking place in South changes took place in Africa. Many countries Sudan. With a resounding “yes” 99 percent of became independent resulting in an interest in the people voted for secession in a feverishly aid and development in the Nordic countries awaited referendum. Six months later South and a need for enhanced knowledge about Africa. Sudan became the world’s 193rd independent The founding of NAI was one of the responses country and member of the United Nations. to these changes. Since then the institute has turned “The South Sudanese have the responsibility of several pages in its history. Today the institute ensuring peace, security, stability, dignity and has four distinct research clusters, a dynamic development not only to themselves, but also publishing activity and a library renowned for to the region and the continent”, writes NAI its services and collections. It is my hope that when researcher Redie Bereketeab in his article. we move into our new premises in September 2012, the Africa House in the Botanical Garden, ANother exAmpLe of “reform from below” is found the institute will in the capacity of individuals making their living not only provide outside the formal economy and off the radar a better working screen of governments. You can read more about environment but this in two articles by researchers belonging to also be better NAI’s urban cluster. Onyanta Adama shares her equipped to research from Nigeria on how groups of individ- serve our in- uals picking and selling waste see to that most creasing audi- metal, glass and plastic materials are recycled. ence within as Ilda Lindell writes about how street vendors in well as outside Mozambique have to find new ways to survive academia. as they are being pushed aside to make way for facilities constructed ahead of a major sports event. for NAI an Absolute highlight of the year was the 4th European Conference on African Studies in June, arranged by NAI on behalf of AEGIS, the Africa Studies in Europe Association. The theme African Engagements: On Whose Terms? Carin Norberg related to how Africa can make priorities and Director of the Nordic Africa Institute NAI 2011 5 cOnflIcT building peAce conflict he researchers of the Conflict, Security and Democratic CLUSTER Transformation cluster study the mechanisms of conflict and broader issues of human security on the African continent. cluster leader mats Utas What are the driving forces behind conflicts in Africa? redie bereketeab How can post-conflict societies get on the path towards democracy maria eriksson baaz and peace? What are the ways in which societies and nations can be Linnéa gelot tor sellström successfully rebuilt or reconstituted in the aftermath of civil war? Anders sjögren Anders themnér The cluster also researches local conflicts arising from disputes over land Guest researchers rights and citizenship. A further important field is the role of interna- Linda darkwa tional actors in conflicts in Africa, particularly the African Union. thiven reddy Liberian peace activist and Nobel prize laureate Leymah Gbowee panos (in white) after meeting with representatives from the community / in Monrovia where she grew up. espenrasmussen : hoto P NAI 2011 6 the AU and civilian protection: challenges Research projects for peace and development in Africa (2011– ) Linnéa Gelot Analyses the norms and practices of the African the informal realities of peace-building Union (AU) as an emerging peace and security actor, – military networks and former mid-level particularly how AU member states and the AU Commission make use of human protection norms commanders in post-war Liberia (2011– ) and with what effect. AU interventions in Darfur, Mats Utas and Anders Themnér Sudan are examined, as is the AU’s position on ac- The project eeks to shed light on how tions against Libya and on Ethiopia’s deployment networks of ex-commanders are sustained of troops to the Abyei region in Sudan. and how they influence politics and business in Liberia. About 50 mid-level commanders from different parts of the country, and 200 conflict and state building of their subordinates, are interviewed, as well as a smaller number of top political, in the horn of Africa military and business leaders. (2010– ) Redie Bereketeab This project seeks to examine the origin and causes of con- z flicts within and between states in the region. It further aims to identify internal and external stakeholders and ac- tors, and also critically exam- maria eriksson baa eriksson maria : ines the state-building project of the Horn of Africa. hoto P gendering and (un) gendering security the politics of belonging and exclusion: African island states in peace and sector reform: the case of the land rights, citizenship and civil society conflict: rising tides in the Indian ocean democratic republic of congo (2010– ) in Kenya and Uganda (2010– ) (2010–11) Maria Eriksson Baaz Anders Sjögren Tor Sellström The research project critically explores dominant An investigation into the politics of access to Sets up modalities for monitoring and report- discourses surrounding gender and police reform, land in Kenya and Uganda. The project inter- ing on developments in the region and estab- by analysing the experience from security sector rogates how, in the context of constitutional lishes a network of regional expertise. Looks at reform (SSR) in the DR Congo. It aims at contri- and land policy reform and persistent ethnic issues of conflict causes, mediation and peace- buting to a better understanding of how gender conflict, different civil society groups organise making, peacekeeping and peace building. identities inform SSR processes and civil-police around access to land, and how struggles re- relations. late to citizenship rights and state formation. FOI collaboration focused on Great Lakes secUrIty IssUes in the Democratic Re- thor of the influential “Congo Siasa” the massive human public of Congo, Uganda and Rwanda blog on Congolese politics, gave a rights violations in was the recurring theme of the NAI-FOI lecture on elections and reform in the the DR Congo.