This article analyzes Ghana’s maritime security by examining the intersection of socio-economic factors, environmental pressures, and the blue economy, with a specific focus on the fisheries sector. By integrating academic research and field data, the study explores how youth unemployment, gender inequality, and regulatory frameworks drive challenges like illegal (IUU) fishing and resource-based conflicts. Ultimately, the paper advocates for a “Blue Justice” approach to address the tensions between foreign investment and local social justice, providing a holistic understanding of security across local and regional levels.

To address security gaps and military limitations against violent extremism, Burkina Faso established the Volunteers for the Defence of the Homeland (VDP) as a central security pillar. Using a structural constructivist approach and qualitative data from 59 stakeholders, this study finds that while VDPs enhance community security, their presence risks fueling inter-community violence and eroding state legitimacy. The article concludes that the government must strategically anticipate the long-term role of these volunteers by integrating them into a post-extremism governance framework focused on disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR) to ensure lasting stability.

This paper utilizes Rational Institutionalist theory to examine the African Union’s mandate in Somalia, focusing on peace operations, political settlements, and the degradation of Al-Shabaab. While AU-led forces implemented diverse operational and capacity-building measures, their effectiveness was hampered by logistical gaps, intelligence failures, and complex clan dynamics. Furthermore, the presence of foreign troops is paradoxically cited as a factor in sustaining the insurgency by propping up a nascent federal government. The authors conclude that while Somalia is not yet prepared for full security autonomy, the eventual withdrawal of AU forces must be predicated on the development of a militarily effective Somali security apparatus and a Somali-led national political strategy.