Geopolitical Explanation of Boundary and Territorial Conflicts Case study: 0 - 15-degreenorth belt of Africa from the end of the Cold War to 2014

Conflict represents a dispute or war between two or more actors on a local, national, regional or global scale. Geographical factors and values play a fundamental role in conflicts. Actually, conflicts occur due to a combination of geographical, political, and power-related parameters, which can be explained within the framework of geopolitics. Africa has long been involved in a variety of conflicts most of which relate to the 0-15-degreeNorthernlatitude of the continent. From 29 countries in the region, 15 are involved in 11 boundary and territorial conflicts. The present study seeks to find an answer for the question that what the geopolitical roots of boundary and territorial conflicts in the 0 – 15-degree north belt of Africa are?

The current study is considered to be a ‘Basic theoretical Research’ in terms of goals, and a “descriptive” study in terms of nature and method. In terms of attitude, it is classified as a “descriptive-analytic” research. Data collection is performed by documentary method using library resources. Qualitative method of data analysis is applied.

In 0 – 15-degree north belt of Africa, the following variables are discussedas rootsof boundary and territorial conflicts:“Territorial conflicts among different ethnical groups and tribes in border areas of different countries” are considered to be among the effective causes of conflicts in 5 countries and 4 cases including Somalia and Kenya; Kenya and Ethiopia; Kenya, South Sudan and Uganda; and the northern half of Kenya bordering Ethiopia, South Sudan and Uganda.“Territoriality and territorial expansionism of statesand their endeavor to conquer space and control its resources” are considered to be causes of conflicts in 12 countries and 6 casesincluding Ethiopia and Eritrea; Sudan and South Sudan; Cameroon and Nigeria; Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire; Equatorial Guinea with Gabon; and Uganda and area around the Albert lakein theDemocratic Republic of Congo.“Dispute over a strategic border area between countries” has been an effective variablein 8 countries and 4 casesincluding between Ethiopia and Eritrea over Assab port; Ethiopia with Egypt and Sudan over Nile; Cameroon and Nigerian over the Bakassi Peninsula; and Eritrean and Yemen over Hanish-Zukar archipelago. “Actions of colonial powers which result in determining and mapping territorial boundaries of countries” are considered to be among roots of conflicts in 18 countries and 10 casesincluding conflicts between Ethiopia and Eritrea; Ethiopia with Egypt and Sudan over Nile; Eritrea and Djibouti; Sudan and South Sudan; Cameroon and Nigerian over the Bakassi Peninsula; Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire; Equatorial Guinea and Gabon; ethnic and tribal conflicts in boundary  regions of Somalia and Kenya; Eritrean and Yemen over Hanish-Zukar archipelago; and Uganda and area around the Albert lake in the Democratic Republic of Congo.“Settling of a minority group from the neighboring country in a disputed border region” has been among the causes of conflicts in 4 countries and 2 cases including conflicts between Cameroon and Nigerian, and Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.“Historical mentality and Nationalism” have been among effective variables in conflicts of 6 countries and 3 cases including conflicts between Ethiopia and Eritrea; Sudan and South Sudan; and Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.“Weak performance in dividing and exact demarking ofboundary” has been among influential causes of conflicts in 6 countries and 3 cases including conflicts between Ethiopia and Eritrea; Sudan and South Sudan; and Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.Climate condition and climate change” has been among the causes of conflicts in 5 countries and 2 cases including conflict of Ethiopia with Egypt and Sudan over Nile; and ethnic and tribal conflicts in boundary regions of Somalia and Kenya. “Remote areas and Marginalization” have been among the causes of conflicts in 5 countries and 2 cases including ethnic and tribal conflicts in border regions of Somalia and Kenya; and the northern half of Kenya bordering Ethiopia, South Sudan and Uganda.

Geopolitical roots of boundary and territorial conflicts in the 0 – 15-degree north belt of Africafrom the end of the Cold War in 1991 to 2014 have been ranked based on their influence as follows:1. Actions of colonial powers which results in determining and mapping territorial boundaries of countries;2. Territoriality and territorial expansionism of statesand their endeavor to conquer space and control its resources;3. Dispute over a strategic border area between countries;4. Territorial conflicts among different ethnical groups and tribes in boundary regions of different countries;5. Historical mentality and Nationalism;6. Weak performance in dividing and exact demarking of boundary;7. Climate condition and climate change;8. Remote areas and Marginalization;9. Settling of a minority group from the neighboring country in a disputed border regionThese roots are geopolitical in nature and the role of geopolitics, along with a combination of mutual relationshipsamong politics, geography and power is observedin each one of them. Due to the inclusiveness of the present study in introducing geopolitical causes of boundary and territorial conflicts, which have the potential of creating this type of conflicts in other regions of the world, the results of the present research are generalizable. Therefore, the results are generalizable to boundary and territorial conflicts in other parts of the worldwithin the framework of “the geopolitical theory of boundary and territorial conflicts”.