Published November 12, 2011 | By Annie Janus

Côte d’Ivoire has experienced significant destabilization as a result of the post-election crisis during 2010. Incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo’s refusal to cede power rekindled the country’s long-standing political, religious, and ethnic tensions. After approximately five months of fighting, Gbagbo agreed to transfer power to the internationally recognized president-elect, Alassane Ouattara. The political crisis has caused the country to return to a worsening trend after having improved in 2009 and 2010. With weakening governance and inflamed social tensions, the crisis has left the country vulnerable to a resurgence of violence. Concentrated efforts to improve governance, strengthen institutions, and invoke reconciliation processes will be needed to remediate the fragile condition of Côte d’Ivoire.

June 20, 2011
By Kristen Blandford, Annie Janus and Kendall Lawrence
The Failed States Index

1. Somalia

On this year’s Failed States Index, Somalia scored as the worst offender for Refugees and IDPs, Economic Decline, Human rights and Security Apparatus. The absence of a permanent national government for almost twenty years has led to ongoing civil violence, economic hardship, poor social conditions, and the displacement of several million Somali citizens. It has become increasingly difficult for international agencies to provide aid to Somalia in light of the recent troubles with piracy and hostility towards foreigners. An upsurge of civil violence in the southern part of the nation has created further destabilization and threatens any potential improvements to Somalia’s condition.

February 17, 2011
By Kenneth C. Brill and Nate Haken
The Fund for Peace Commentary

Elections are intended as a renewal of the social contract between the people and their government. But they can also violate that contract. In Africa, the 2011 election calendar is packed, adding to the hopes and fears of people across the content. So while the international spotlight is currently focused on the drama playing out in Egypt, a larger drama may be about to unfold elsewhere on the continent.

This is the year of the African election, with national-level elections scheduled in sixteen countries between January and December. Apart from Egypt, Central African Republic, Nigeria, Liberia, Djibouti, Benin, Niger, Madagascar, Chad, Cape Verde, Gambia, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Uganda all have national level elections this year. Some may be contested with force, not just ballots; others will be peaceful and possibly transformative. While democracy requires much more than a single election, good elections support democracy, development and security. Bad elections, including those whose results are overturned, can destabilize entire regions.