The Handbook of African Defence and Armed Forces

A critical addition to an understudied topic, the Handbook explores Post—Cold War African armed forces and security strategies during a period of renewed great power interest in the continent. Unlike earlier studies, which have focused on external actors and international, regional, and sub-regional organisations, the Handbook adopts an African-centric approach that emphasizes African perspectives and agency from the bottom up. The case studies, authored by both African and international experts, include data at the local and national levels from all regions of the continent and present new information that must be understood if African defence and security concerns are to be addressed successfully. * Elizabeth Schmidt, Professor Emerita of History, Loyola University Maryland * A novel and substantial work that is intellectually stimulating for scholars of African security and a real Handbook for policy practitioners working on Africa. This groundbreaking handbook redirects us back to the agency of African armed forces, not only laying out the security issues and systems in Africa, but providing the right frames and analyses to properly understand African armed forces as real actors in African security and governance matters. Equally important is the diversity of contributors comprised of renowned and emerging scholars as well as policy experts on Africa. It is an essential resource for scholars and practitioners, offering a refreshing perspective for those with deep knowledge of African security and governance, and a rich and insightful guide for those new to Africa. * Abu Bakarr Bah, Presidential Research Professor of Sociology, Northern Illinois University * The nature, organization, and doctrine of African armed forces have received scant attention from scholars, but rapidly changing geopolitical dynamics and an increasingly complex security landscape mean that understanding Africa's armed forces has never been more important. This volume thus fills a critical gap in the literature, bringing together an impressive array of over 50 specialists from Africa and the Global North to provide a comprehensive overview of the historical, political, and economic forces that shape Africa's armed forces and its diverse military and defence systems. The breadth of knowledge encapsulated here makes it a must-read for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of Africa's military structures, security challenges, and its role in international peace and security. * Tony Chafer, Emeritus Professor of West African and French Studies, University of Portsmouth *