AFRICA/SENEGAL - Over half the deaths from conflicts worldwide between 1990-2005 are Africans, African Development Bank says

Dakar (Agenzia Fides) – Africa is the continent that has paid the highest price, in victims and in the loss of possible development, as a result of wars. This is what is stated in the African Development Report 2008-2009, which was presented on May 10 in Dakar (Senegal).
The report was drafted by experts from the African Development Bank (ADB) and examines the economic and social costs of the conflicts that have affected the continent between 1990-2005, recommending several suggestions on how to overcome them in order to make reconstruction and economic development possible.
According to the document, African people are more than 50% of the victims from conflicts worldwid between 1990-2005. “In the second half of the 20th Century, the African continent, more than any other part of the world has suffered enormously from violent conflict within and between States,” the report says.
The majority of the victims, however, are indirect. Many more people die from disease, starvation, malnutrition, and the breakdown of health services in situations of conflict than from battle, in addition to other troubles such as income loss, destruction of infrastructure, and human and financial capital flight.
Neighboring countries also bear substantial costs through conflict spillovers, pre-emptive defense expenditures, and catering for refugees that come over the border.
The publication notes that although violent conflict has declined in Africa and the rest of the world in recent years (6 African countries in 2009 compared to 14 in 1990s), the challenges of consolidating peace, rebuilding state institutions and re-launching economic activities remain daunting.
"The report emphasizes the critical role of sound economic policies for promoting post-conflict recovery and consolidating peace,” notes ADB Group President Donald Kaberuka in his foreword on the publication. “It [the report] underlines the importance of building strong national institutions for effective economic policymaking and peace building," Mr. Kaberuka added, noting that state building must feature prominently in international efforts to help conflict-affected countries achieve lasting political stability and sustainable development.
In 2008, the Bank Group rolled out a Strategy for Enhanced Engagement in Fragile States designed to enable the institution to respond in a more efficient, effective and timely manner to the needs of fragile states and propose a set of solutions to some of their pressing problems. (LM) (Agenzia Fides 12/5/2009)