African states have become testing grounds for Western conflict-resolution experiments, particularly power-sharing agreements, supposedly intended to end deadly conflict, secure peace and build democracy in divided societies. This volume examines the legal and political efficacy of transitional political power-sharing between democratically constituted governments and the African warlords, rebels, or junta that seek to violently unseat them. What role does law indicate for itself to play in informing, shaping and regulating peace agreements? This book addresses this question and others through the prism of three West African case studies: Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea-Bissau. It applies the neo-Kadeshean model of analysis and offers a framework for a 'Law on Power-sharing'. In a field dominated by political scientists, and drawing from ancient and contemporary international law, this book represents the first substantive legal critique of the law, practice and politics of power-sharing.

'Illegal Peace in Africa is a fascinating must-read for academics and practitioners struggling with the fundamental challenge of how to reconcile short-term peace, security and stability imperatives with longer-term democratic state-building goals.'

Stef Vandeginste Source: Africa Spectrum

'Some scholars have started to examine legal issues and the role of legal principles in relation to peace agreements, but mostly in a superficial manner and without the foundation of a theoretical framework. In Illegal Peace in Africa: An Inquiry into the Legality of Power Sharing with Warlords, Rebels, and Junta, Jeremy I. Levitt attempts to fill this important gap. He rightly argues that legal approaches have been absent from peacemaking for too long and examines the legality of transitional political power sharing in an aim to challenge traditional approaches to conflict resolution.'

Philipp Kastner Source: Canadian Yearbook of International Law