scholarly journals Causal Pathways of Rebel Defection from Negotiated Settlements: A Theory of Strategic Alliances

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-19
Author(s):  
Chelsea Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Strategic Alliances ◽  
Strategic Alliance ◽  
Peace Process ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Causal Process ◽  
Causal Pathways ◽  
Quantitative Studies ◽  
Negotiated Settlements ◽  
Large N ◽  
Sub Saharan

While it is widely accepted that negotiated settlements are prone to breakdown, our understanding of the processes through which signatories defect lacks precision. A growing qualitative literature recognizes the potential for rebel group fluidity, yet the conflict field’s converging reliance on dyadic data obscures pathways of defection that result in splintering or merger in quantitative studies. An in-depth case study of a failed peace process in Uganda—which is misclassified in the extant data—helps to illustrate the ways in which excluded groups can lower the opportunity cost of defection for splintering factions, resulting in a strategic alliance. I test the generalizability of this argument against the full sample of rebel parties to settlements in Sub-Saharan Africa (1975–2015) using a large-N qualitative analysis of causal process observations (CPOs). The aggregated results provide strong evidence that the defection-by-alliance pathway is much more prevalent than previously recognized, accounting for more than one-third of all defections in the sample. Where settlements create shared incentives for stakeholders inside and outside the peace process to spoil, rebel elites appear more willing to bear the costs of an alliance with a rival, rather than surrendering under adverse conditions.

scholarly journals Barriers to and enablers of uptake of and adherence to antiretroviral therapy in the context of integrated HIV and tuberculosis treatment among adults in sub-Saharan Africa: a protocol for a systematic literature review

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. e031789
Author(s):  
Benjamin Momo Kadia ◽  
Noah Fongwen Takah ◽  
Christian Akem Dimala ◽  
Adrian Smith
Keyword(s):  
Antiretroviral Therapy ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Scale Up ◽  
Integrated Treatment ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Treatment Programs ◽  
Quantitative Studies ◽  
Final Study ◽  
Registration Number ◽  
Sub Saharan

IntroductionThe scale-up of integrated Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and tuberculosis (TB) treatment has been an important intervention to curb the burden of HIV and TB co-infection worldwide. Uptake of and adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) are key determinants of the quality and therapeutic endpoints of this intervention. This study aims to conduct an up-to-date collection and synthesis of evidence on barriers to and facilitators of uptake of and adherence to ART in HIV/TB integrated treatment programs in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).MethodA systematic review of peer-reviewed literature on the uptake of and adherence to ART in the context of integrated therapy for HIV and TB in SSA will be performed. We will review qualitative and quantitative studies reporting on the uptake of and adherence to ART during integrated treatment for TB and HIV among adults. These will include studies that involve HIV-infected TB patients initiating ART and studies involving PLWHA already on ART who are newly diagnosed with TB. Qualitative studies, quantitative studies, randomised trials and observational studies will be included. Six databases including Medline and Embase will be searched for relevant studies published from March 2004 to July 2019. Two authors will independently screen the search output and retrieve full texts of eligible studies. Disagreements between the two authors will be resolved by arbitration by a third author. Data will be abstracted from the eligible studies and synthesis will be done through descriptive synthesis for qualitative data and meta-analysis for quantitative data.Ethics and disseminationThis study will be a review of the literature and will not involve primary collection of individuals’ data. Amendments to the protocol will be documented in the final review. The final study will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and presented at conferences. The review is expected to contribute to improving strategies to enhance uptake of and adherence to ART in integrated care.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42019131933.

The contributions of wild tree resources to food and nutrition security in sub-Saharan African drylands: a review of the pathways and beneficiaries

2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 64-82
Author(s):  
C.K. Koffi ◽  
A. Lourme-Ruiz ◽  
H. Djoudi ◽  
E. Bouquet ◽  
S. Dury ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Economic Relations ◽  
Food And Nutrition Security ◽  
Nutrition Security ◽  
Causal Pathways ◽  
Food And Nutrition ◽  
Wild Tree ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Food And Nutritional Security

Wild tree resources are known to play an important role in local stakeholders' livelihoods particularly in the food and nutrition security of people living in semi-arid sub-Saharan Africa. Based on a comprehensive review of the literature, this article examines the relative importance of the contributions of tree resources to food and nutrition security for rural households, while considering alternative causal pathways. The main conclusions of the review are that most studies provide useful evidence on specific contributions of tree products to food and nutritional security, and for whom. However, detailed data on the actual contribution of tree products are still lacking. In addition, we argue that the concept of access as a pillar of food security is not sophisticated enough to understand the landscape dynamics and the socio-economic relations at the nexus of food security and rights of access. Links are needed to better understand the underlying processes in the definition of each stakeholder's rights of access to tree resources in a context of rapidly changing landscapes, and how income generated by tree resources contributes to food and nutrition security. An approach to food security based on rights of access would advance our understanding of their use and tackle the root causes of food deficiency based on different social groups. In light of current patterns of access to tree food for different stakeholders, including women and children, an intersectional approach that accounts for age, gender, ethnicity and wealth would benefit food security research by a more targeted and discerning approach to existing rights of access and to the roles of different community members.

scholarly journals HIV prevention for young people in Sub-Saharan Africa: effectiveness of interventions and areas for improvement. Evidence from Rwanda

Afrika Focus ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristien Michielsen
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Complex Intervention ◽  
Sexual Behaviour ◽  
Hiv Transmission ◽  
Scientific Journal ◽  
Intervention Development ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Additional Information ◽  
Causal Pathways ◽  
Sub Saharan

These conclusions and recommendations mainly affect five parties: researchers, intervention managers, evaluators, funders and scientific journal editors. Given the absence of a vaccine or a cure, the focus remains on preventing HIV transmission. By analysing existing data on the determinants of the complex sexual behaviour of young people and their causal pathways, and by gathering additional information, researchers should make unprecedented efforts to develop alternative and more effective interventions. Accepting the complexity of sexual behaviour of young people, also means dealing with a considerable degree of uncertainty and flexibility. Intervention development, impleme tation and evaluation are to be considered inseparable: results of effectiveness evaluations should be considered of little use if no information is provided on the intervention or its implementation and vice versa. Since the evaluation should be an integral part of the intervention, intervention managers and evaluators need to work in close collaboration, without suspicion. Donors have to accept that a complex intervention cannot be designed beforehand, but requires a process approach that maps risky behaviours, dominant predictors, causal pathways and key stakeholders. This pre-intervention research should be considered a fundamental part of the intervention and donors should be aware that effectiveness depends on this phase, hence funding should be made available. In this process, reality, and not morality, should be at the forefront: young people should be approached as responsible individuals who are able to make their own decisions and need to be made competent to ensure their choice to (not) have sexual intercourse is made autonomous, without coercion or regret and with the necessary in-depth knowl- edge of risks. This requires a change in attitudes of all stakeholders involved. A complex intervention approach also means that the intervention is monitored and can be changed during its course, resulting in the need for flexible, mixed and triangulated evaluation approaches (“combination evaluation”) and flexible funding strategies. Scientific journals have the responsibility to make innovative approaches public, even though they might not be considered most rigorous by current scientific standards, as well as allow for elaborate reports on intervention development and implementation. We are convinced this can be done if all parties remain conscious of the ultimate objective; eradicating HIV among the important and vulnerable population of young people.

Institutions, small local firms’ strategies, and global alliances in sub-Saharan Africa emerging markets

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 156-182
Author(s):  
Adesegun Oyedele ◽  
Fuat Firat
Keyword(s):  
Emerging Markets ◽  
Strategic Alliances ◽  
Trade Credit ◽  
Matching Theory ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Market Conditions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Alliance Partners ◽  
Local Firms

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to respond to the call of international marketing professionals for more studies on strategies that firms use in response to the complexities of interacting with other institutions in the emerging markets (EMs) of sub-Saharan Africa. The key research question investigated by employing the exploratory qualitative data gathered is: What strategies and global alliances do small local firms (SLFs) in Nigeria adopt to succeed under complex market conditions? Design/methodology/approach The methodology employed is exploratory qualitative research. The authors conducted extended interviews to generate rich case study data from the top management of the selected SLFs in Nigeria. The interview data were assessed using open, axial and selective coding to uncover macro-narratives that guide SLFs’ strategies and global alliances. Findings The macro-narratives derived from the qualitative case analysis reveal a theoretical framework centered on three major elements of competitive strategies in Nigeria: build global capacity and strategic alliances from the get-go; develop local strategic alliances; master matching alliance partners’ needs to create innovative payment plans and, when necessary, shift the transaction cost burden to alliance partners. Matching theory rather than traditional network theories is better at explicating SLFs’ alliances in Nigeria. Implementation of these strategies requires flexible strategic initiatives. Originality/value The study adapts institutional interaction theory, network theory, matching alliance perspective, trade credit theories and the literature on small firms’ strategies in EMs to explicate successful small local firm strategies and global alliances under complex market conditions in Nigeria. The recognition that SLFs regularly migrate and shift the burden of transactions’ cost to multiple stakeholders in the supply network by matching customers and supplier needs is important. The discovery of matching theory in explicating SLFs’ global alliances in Nigeria is unique to this study.

scholarly journals Agricultural Expenditures and Food Security: Evidence from Sub Saharan African Countries

2020 ◽  
pp. 11-23
Author(s):  
Felix Dabit Atabukum ◽  
Nembot Ndeffo Luc ◽  
Christophe Kuipou Toukam
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Foreign Aid ◽  
Food Availability ◽  
Strategic Alliance ◽  
Two Dimensions ◽  
Least Square ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Food Utilization ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Sub Saharan

This paper sets out to investigate the effects of agricultural expenditures on two dimensions of food security in Sub Saharan Africa from 2000-2016. The Feasible Generalized Least Square (FGLS) econometric technique was applied on data from World Development Indicator, Regional Strategic Alliance and Knowledge Support System (ReSAKSS), the World Governing Indicator, the African Development Indicators, the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) data bases. Our results depicted that public agricultural expenditure has negative and significant effects on food availability and utilization while domestic private agricultural expenditure and human capital foster both dimensions of food security. Foreign aid for agriculture has no effects on food availability but promotes food utilization while economic infrastructure promotes food availability but the effects on food utilization are positive and not significant. On the basis of the results, we recommend that SSA African government should increase the size of public agricultural expenditure, increase the level of economic infrastructures so as to crowd in private agricultural investment, lobby for more foreign aid for agriculture, improve the quality of institutions and design different policies to target different dimensions of food security.

RTS,S/AS01, a vaccine targeting pre-erythrocytic stages of Plasmodium falciparum

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (6) ◽  
pp. 533-537
Author(s):  
Lorenz von Seidlein ◽  
Borimas Hanboonkunupakarn ◽  
Podjanee Jittmala ◽  
Sasithon Pukrittayakamee
Keyword(s):  
Protective Efficacy ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Phase Iii ◽  
European Medicines Agency ◽  
Older Children ◽  
Pivotal Phase ◽  
Malaria Epidemiology ◽  
Maximum Benefit ◽  
Sub Saharan

RTS,S/AS01 is the most advanced vaccine to prevent malaria. It is safe and moderately effective. A large pivotal phase III trial in over 15 000 young children in sub-Saharan Africa completed in 2014 showed that the vaccine could protect around one-third of children (aged 5–17 months) and one-fourth of infants (aged 6–12 weeks) from uncomplicated falciparum malaria. The European Medicines Agency approved licensing and programmatic roll-out of the RTSS vaccine in malaria endemic countries in sub-Saharan Africa. WHO is planning further studies in a large Malaria Vaccine Implementation Programme, in more than 400 000 young African children. With the changing malaria epidemiology in Africa resulting in older children at risk, alternative modes of employment are under evaluation, for example the use of RTS,S/AS01 in older children as part of seasonal malaria prophylaxis. Another strategy is combining mass drug administrations with mass vaccine campaigns for all age groups in regional malaria elimination campaigns. A phase II trial is ongoing to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of the RTSS in combination with antimalarial drugs in Thailand. Such novel approaches aim to extract the maximum benefit from the well-documented, short-lasting protective efficacy of RTS,S/AS01.

Mortality and Society in Sub-Saharan Africa

1993 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 555-556
Author(s):  
Lado Ruzicka
Keyword(s):  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Sub Saharan

Adolescent Suicidality as Seen in Rural Northeastern Uganda

Crisis ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eugene Kinyanda ◽  
Ruth Kizza ◽  
Jonathan Levin ◽  
Sheila Ndyanabangi ◽  
Catherine Abbo
Keyword(s):  
Low Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Psychosocial Risk ◽  
Psychiatric Nurses ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Childhood Experiences ◽  
Low Socioeconomic ◽  
Dsm Iv ◽  
Sub Saharan

Background: Suicidal behavior in adolescence is a public health concern and has serious consequences for adolescents and their families. There is, however, a paucity of data on this subject from sub-Saharan Africa, hence the need for this study. Aims: A cross-sectional multistage survey to investigate adolescent suicidality among other things was undertaken in rural northeastern Uganda. Methods: A structured protocol administered by trained psychiatric nurses collected information on sociodemographics, mental disorders (DSM-IV criteria), and psychological and psychosocial risk factors for children aged 3–19 years (N = 1492). For the purposes of this paper, an analysis of a subsample of adolescents (aged 10–19 years; n = 897) was undertaken. Results: Lifetime suicidality in this study was 6.1% (95% CI, 4.6%–7.9%). Conclusions: Factors significantly associated with suicidality included mental disorder, the ecological factor district of residence, factors suggestive of low socioeconomic status, and disadvantaged childhood experiences.

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