Conflict Resolution in Africa: Intervention, Indifference, and Indigenous Solutions

The International Conflict System established after 1945 has proved remarkably durable in the face of deep and profound systemic alterations. Aimed at providing states with a menu of dispute resolution techniques, it rests on three planks: diplomacy (e.g. negotiation, mediation, conciliation); international organization (e.g. the United Nations, regional bodies, peacekeeping); and international law (e.g. arbitration, adjudication). At the heart of any conflict management approach lies a set of diagnostic assumptions which guides the search for remedial action