The end of the Cold War has brought about a fundamental change in the international order based on the two major ideological blocs, and it has led to an increase, rather than a decrease, in regional conflicts around the globe.
More than half of those conflicts are in Africa -- mostly within states. Poverty, social instability and refugee problems associated with conflicts in Africa have raised international concerns that these problems are not simply African problems but global ones requiring global solutions.
Against this backdrop, 22 panelists from Africa and other parts of the world gathered last week for a two-day symposium in Tokyo to discuss ways to resolve and prevent conflicts, and how people both inside and outside of Africa can play a role in promoting peace and coexistence.