Columbia International Affairs Online: Policy Briefs

CIAO DATE: 04/2011

Urban Fragility and Security in Africa

Stephen Commins

April 2011

Africa Center for Strategic Studies

Abstract

Estimates are that more than half of all Africans will live in cities by 2025. This rapid pace of urbanization is creating a new locus of fragility in many African states - as evidenced by the burgeoning slums around many of the continent's urban areas - and the accompanying rise in violence, organized crime, and the potential for instability. These evolving threats, in turn, have profound implications for Africa's security sector.