A 'Perfect Storm of Conflict': Rising Civilian Deaths in Africa
Thursday, 14 March 2024
1pm Washington D.C.
5pm London
6pm Paris / Lagos / Kinshasa
7pm Cape Town / Cairo
8pm NairobiFatalities from conflicts across Africa have been on the rise since 2020, but 2023 saw an escalation of violence that pushed civilian deaths to the highest levels since 1999. Today, certain areas of the Horn of Africa, the Sahel, DR Congo, Nigeria and Sudan are some of the deadliest places for civilians worldwide. And this year is shaping up to be even worse.
These dire situations have spurred little interest and even less action. Regional organizations like ECOWAS are unable to prevent or contain political violence. The African Union is mostly disengaged. And western actors like the European Union and the United States, as well as international bodies like the United Nations, seem to be focused elsewhere. Meanwhile, up-and-coming powers on the African continent like China, India and Brazil have maintained their stance of political non-interference, while Russia is arguably fanning the flames. What is more, the international media – along with its audience – has lost interest, preferring to cover crises closer to home instead.
Of course, conflicts in Africa reflect a complex interaction between local and global dynamics. Understanding these global political dynamics that shape the responses and interventions, or lack thereof, is therefore a necessity. The Resistance Bureau will therefore bring together a group of people to achieve exactly that. From local experts, activists and people impacted by conflict to media professionals looking at the bigger picture, we are giving a platform to those invested in understanding these dynamics. We are not here to idly discuss the horror of conflict and the loss of civilian life, but to develop action from understanding in order to reverse the deadly trajectory that many people on the continent find themselves on.
Meet our panel
Kholood Khair
Kholood Khair is the founder and director of Confluence Advisory, a 'think and do tank' that works on issues related to peace, security and governance. Kholood hosted and co-produced Spotlight 249, Sudan's first-ever English language political discussion and debate show. She has written research and analysis pieces for several notable publications, including for Al Jazeera English and Foreign Policy, among others.
Maebel Gebremedhin
Maebel Gebremedhin is a highly influential human rights activist from Tigray, Ethiopia, focusing mainly on the dignity of women and girls. She is the co-founder and president of the Tigray Action Committee, a research and advocacy group that raises awareness and takes action against the ethnic cleansing of Tigrayans in Ethiopia. She is also the founder and president of United Women of the Horn, a coalition of diaspora leaders that advocates for peace in the region.
Clionadh Raleigh
Clionadh Raleigh is an award-winning researcher on conflict patterns and a professor of political violence and geography. She is best known as founder of the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED), where she currently serves as president and CEO. ACLED is a nonprofit organization that collects information on the dates, actors, locations, fatalities, and types of all reported political violence and protest events around the world.
Jason Stearns
Jason Stearns is among the world's foremost experts on the myriad conflicts that have long troubled the Democratic Republic of Congo. He is the co-founder of several initiatives that investigate and publish research on eastern Congo, including the Kivu Security Tracker and the Congo Research Group. He is also an assistant professor at Simon Fraser University where he specializes in security studies, civil society and human rights.
Maryam Nemazee
Maryam Nemazee is a television news presenter, correspondent, broadcaster and journalist. For over a decade, she has covered global news and international politics with an in-depth focus on humanitarian crises. She led on-air coverage for many of the major breaking news stories of the past few years as they unfolded, including developments in Israel and Palestine, the conflict in eastern DR Congo, as well as the Covid pandemic.
Moderation
Mantate Mlotshwa
Mantate Mlotshwa is a passionate advocate for the meaningful contribution of women and youth to democracy and governance processes. The Founder of the creative brand U Motle, she has earned a reputation for speaking her mind and promoting positive messages of liberation and emancipation in Zimbabwe and beyond.
Jeffrey Smith
Jeffrey Smith is an award-winning human rights campaigner, social media influencer, and a prolific writer. He is co-creator of The Resistance Bureau and also founding director of Vanguard Africa, a nonprofit organization that partners with visionary African leaders to defend democracy, build campaigns for free and fair elections, and promote ethical leadership.