Conflict risk and development challenges in West Africa
Keywords:
Conflict Risk, Education Attainment, Failed State Theory, Life ExpectancyAbstract
The proximity of the Sahelian countries to West Africa sub region does not only trigger spillover effects of
terrorism and arms proliferation but has helped to sustain the sub region’s nuances of diverse conflicts,
ranging from inter-ethnic conflicts, inter-state conflicts, liberation conflicts, civil rights conflicts,
annexationist conflicts, and political transition conflicts. These conflicts inadvertently spew up
developmental challenges, of which forced migration and infrastructural destruction which negatively
impacted on life expectancy and educational attainment, which is central to development. It was against this
backdrop that this study employed Failed State Theory to examine conflict risk and development challenges
in West Africa, drawing evidences from Burkina Faso and Mali. This study disintegrated development
challenges into education attainment and life expectancy. The study engaged qualitative research design
approach to elicit data with reliance on extant and related literature. Result that emanated from the study
submitted that conflict risk in West Africa triggers forced displacement which negatively influence education
attainment which is a major index for development. The study also established that conflict risk, as seen in
West Africa, triggers food insecurity throwing the populace into decreasing life expectancy which is also
central to development. The study therefore recommends that AU, ECOWAS, and other regional blocs,
should provide a platform for learning outside the traditional classroom arrangement by adopting the
UNICEF’s education radio approach to assist education attainment. The study also recommends that
enforcing good governance protocols across the sub region, will greatly increase life expectancy as such will
reduce death by violence, hunger, and other preventable health conditions.