What’s at Stake as Millions in Africa Head to the Ballot Box

Ten African nations will have presidential elections in 2023, contests that will define and be influenced by humanitarian crises, writes Chidi Anselm Odinkaluhe for The New Humanitarian.

These nations are Zimbabwe, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Sudan along with Somaliland, the de facto state that is still regarded as a part of Somalia in formal diplomatic circles.
Together these countries account for nearly one-third of the continent's population in total.

Bloody civil wars, armed insurgencies, coups, and other crises have wracked the continent in recent years, spreading instability and claiming thousands of lives. Given the importance of governance in African security, the stakes for these elections are high - not just for democracy, but also for stability and prosperity. Because governance standards, insecurity, and economic dynamism are rarely contained by borders, the conduct and outcomes of each of these elections will have consequences for their neighbours and the continent as a whole.

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