The Dynamics of Conflict and Development Crisis in Central Africa and the Great Lakes Region

On the initiative of the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) chairperson, a group of development partners agreed in 2002 to undertake a study aimed at analyzing and understanding the regional dynamics of conflict and the development crisis in the Great Lakes region. From the start, the main idea of the study was to take stock and analyze the dynamics of conflict in this part of the continent. But the innovative aspect of the approach is the emphasis on the regional perspective of the conflict and development crisis. As defined by the “coalition of the willing”, an informal group of DAC member countries, UNDP and GCA, the Great Lakes operational study was undertaken in three different phases. The first phase was called a “stocktaking analysis” of the regional dynamics of conflict: what was at stake, the challenges and potential factors and components of a fruitful strategy to consolidate peace and re-launch the regional integration and development process. It was also agreed that during this phase, the operational study should identify actors and driving forces that could further regional peace and development ideals and perspectives. The second phase of the operational study on the Great Lakes region is intended to look forward with a prospective analysis, in order to define even just the broad outlines and key elements of the direction that the regional dynamic might be expected to take. On this bases, a third phase was intended to construct two or three future scenarios that are most desirable and most realistic for regional peace and development. However, from the perspective of a methodological approach, it was agreed that the last two phases should be merged in the next stage of the operational study.