Putin's War: US Needs a Clearer Message in Africa

 The US Institute of Peace published on 17 May 2022 a commentary titled "On Ukraine, Africa Needs a Clearer U.S. Message" by Heather Ashby and Joseph Sany.  

The United States must focus its message on Ukrainian self-determination and on building the fairer international system that is sought by the Global South.  This means involving these countries more in the decision-making apparatus of multilateral institutions.  U.S. messaging that calls for the weakening of Russia does not resonate in the Global South and plays into the hands of Putin.

Ethiopia: Self-determination for More Southwestern States?

 Ethiopia Insight posted on 22 September 2020 a commentary titled "Respecting Self-determination Could Prove Good Governance Model for Ethiopia's Southern Nations" by Kulle Kursha, Hawassa University.

In 2019, the Sidama people voted for autonomy from the Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples' Regional State (SNNPRS) and in 2020 became Sidama National Regional State, Ethiopia's tenth state.  Eleven more ethnic groups in SNNPRS have now requested similar status.  The author argues that reorganizing SNNPRS into multiple regional states would be a positive step irrespective of their small size.

Argument for "Self-Determination" in Ethiopia

 Ethiopia Insight published on 24 August  2020 a commentary titled "An Imperial Narrative Gets Recycled" by Trevor Trueman, human rights activist.  

In order to prevent a Yugoslav-style breakup of Ethiopia, the author argues for "self-determination" although it is not clear how that is defined.  

Ethiopia: Is Tigray Heading towards Self-determination?

 Ethiopia Insight posted on 22 August 2020 a commentary titled "'Exit' Imminent as Abiy Neglects the Tigrayan 'Voice'" by Abraham Assefa.  

The author argues the policies of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and his scapegoating of the Tigrayan People's Liberation Front are driving Tigray Region towards "exit" or self-determination.  

Federalism in the History of South Sudanese Political Thought

The Rift Valley Institute published in 2014 a paper titled "Federalism in the History of South Sudanese Political Thought" by Douglas Johnson.  He points out that federalism has a long pedigree in Sudanese political history, signifying different things at different times.  The paper explains how the idea evolved in the colonial era as part of the southern search for political identity.  He discusses attitudes towards federalism and the ways it was presented from before Sudan's independence in 1956, up to South Sudan's independence today.

South Sudan, Self-determination and International Law

Solomon Dersso, senior researcher at the Addis Ababa office of the Institute for Security Studies, prepared a paper dated February 2012 titled International Law and the Self-determination of South Sudan. The paper identifies at least five forms that the exercise of self-determination may take under recognized international law.

The analysis concludes: "Self-determination is not an event, but rather a continuous process. Neither South Sudan's referendum nor its declaration of independence on 9 July 2011 can fully encompass the right of southern Sudanese to self-determination. Although these constitute important elements of the exercise of this right, the full realisation of self-determination requires the provision of the necessary legal, institutional and political guarantees that enable the southern Sudanese to select freely a government of their choice, and that such a government is in a position to protect their personal security, consolidate peace and stability, and duly account for its activities and decisions."

South Sudan and Secession in Africa

The Brenthurst Foundation in South Africa published a report in January 2012 titled The First Crack in Africa's Map? Secession and Self-Determination after South Sudan. The author, Terence McNamee, is the Deputy Director of the Brenthurst Foundation.

The discussion paper draws on extensive discussions between senior policy makers and academics at a high-level workshop convened by the Brenthurst Foundation in collaboration with the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung in September 2011.

The paper concludes that while there is no evidence that South Sudan's secession has made independence more likely for other would-be states in Africa, such as Somaliland or Cabinda, the idea of self-determination is not on the wane in Africa. Nevertheless, the obstacles to independent statehood appear as formidable as ever.