THE CHALLENGES OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN POST-CONFLICT AFRICA: A CASE STUDY OF SIERRA LEONE

ABSTRACT

Wars and conflicts have been dominant in the history of the world, particularly in Africa for some time now. The Uppsala Conflict Data Program (UCDP) records that the continent of Africa experienced an approximately 630 state-based and non-state armed conflicts between 1990 and 2015. These conflicts have been caused by a multiplicity of factors and have negatively impacted the economic development of states. The youth have often been involved in these conflicts. Sierra Leone experienced a civil war caused by a multiplicity of factors from March 1991 to January 2002 which destroyed the state systems and infrastructure in sectors such as health, education and energy and displaced many people. It began the post-conflict reconstruction headed by the United Nations (UN), its agencies and other stakeholders to establish peace and rebuild what has been lost or destroyed. The state, although have made some progress with the help of non-state actors after the civil war, continues to suffer challenges that are dire to its economic development. Youth employment and provision of education are two key sectors that suffer challenges. They also pose a threat to the stability of state security because they are part of the causes of the civil war. As such, the main objective of the study is to find out the challenges that Sierra Leone faces and its ramifications for economic development, particularly with youth employment and education sectors. The study hypothesised that the measures put in place in post-conflict Sierra Leone have improved the education and youth employment sectors. The research used semi-structured interviews and purposive sampling methods to obtain quality and reliable data for subsequent analysis. It reveals that with measures put in place by Sierra Leone and with the assistance of non-state actors, she has achieved considerable progress in the education sector, as well as youth employment. The study recommends, among others, that there should be better working conditions for teachers in the education sector and also a national system which absorbs graduates after completion of tertiary studies to enable them to have some work experience to help them find official employment.