Democratisation via elections in an African 'narco state'? The case of Guinea-Bissau

Dirk Kohnert

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Abstract: Recent development cooperation with Guinea-Bissau, focusing on good governance, statebuilding and conflict prevention, did not contribute to democratization nor to the stabilization of volatile political, military and economic structures. The portrayal of Guinea- Bissau as a failed “narco-state”, as well as Western aid meant to stabilize this state, are both based on dubious concepts. Certainly, the impact of drug trafficking could endanger democratization and state-building if continued unchecked. However, the most pressing need is not state-building facilitated by external aid that is poorly rooted in the social and political fabric of the country. Rather, it is grassroots nation-building that is a pre-condition for the creation of viable state institutions.

Keywords: Democratization; narco states; Guinea-Bissau; West Africa; good governance; fragile states (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D72 E26 H76 K14 N4 O17 Z1 Z13 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2010
Note: Author's Version
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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Working Paper: Democratisation via elections in an African 'narco state'? The case of Guinea-Bissau (2009)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:zbw:esprep:118635

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