Ripe for Resolution

Local political conflicts on the African continent have had repercussions in the cold war situation with alarming frequency. This book addresses the question of why routine conflicts so often become crises in Africa and the rest of the Third World, and asks what role external powers play in these situations.

Written by internationally renowned Africanist I. William Zartman, this book is part of the Africa Project of the Council on Foreign Relations. It examines the sources of African conflict and the nature of previous American responses, and addresses the issue of how foreign powers can productively contribute to the resolution of such conflicts without resorting to the use of military force. The book focuses on positive intervention in four cases of local conflicts: in the Shaba province in
Zaire, where Zartman found that intervention was appropriate but late; in Namibia, where an eight-year initiative by the Reagan administration has resulted in a conclusive treaty; in the Horn of Africa, where intervention was impossible; and in the Sahara, where it was sadly lacking. Updated and revised
to include the latest developments in Namibia and Angola, the book assesses various approaches to conflict management, evaluates overall U.S. policy toward Third World conflict, and spells out a new policy toward Africa and the Third World in general that is based on pre-emptive treatment rather than military intervention.