According to the 2016 Fragile States Index, six of the eight most fragile states—countries that have weak, ineffective, or illegitimate governments and conditions that exacerbate corruption, poverty and violence–are in Africa, and only a handful of the continent’s 54 countries are ranked as stable, the USIP notes. In Zimbabwe, the intensification of the #ThisFlag campaign may signal an opportunity for peaceful transition from a fragile to a democratic state.
A forthcoming symposium aims to broaden the conversation about peaceful political transitions to improve policy and practice, increase the understanding of factors that contribute to fragility, and help the international community provide constructive assistance. Panelists – including the National Endowment for Democracy’s Princeton Lyman and Nadia Diuk – will examine cases from around the world, including Myanmar and countries in Latin America, the Middle East, Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
U.S. Institute of Peace
2301 Constitution Avenue, NW
Washington, DC
US
Thursday, September 8, 2016 – 9:00am
