How does political instability affect efforts to build lasting peace in countries

after a conflict?

Introduction
Political instability happens when a country’s government is weak or keeps changing, making it
hard for things to run smoothly. It can include protests, corruption, fights for power, or even
violence. When a country is unstable, leaders struggle to make good decisions, the economy
suffers, and people lose trust in the government. This can create chaos and make it difficult to
keep peace and help the country grow.
Personal perspective
After a war or a crisis, one of the biggest challenges a country faces is staying peaceful.
Rebuilding after conflict is important to stop violence from happening again, but political
instability can make this very difficult. When a government is weak, leaders fight for power,
corruption is high, or people protest, it becomes hard to bring the country together. Without
strong leadership, fair laws, and trust among people, old conflicts can return, causing more
problems. This study looks at how political instability makes it harder to build lasting peace,
especially in areas like government, the economy, and society. Understanding these issues can
help find better ways to create a stable and peaceful future.
National Perspective
As Ralph Paris points out, political instability is a critical factor, especially in post-conflict
scenarios. He reasons that after civil wars, countries face a plethora of difficulties such as
weakened institutions, fragmented political elite, and an economy that destabilized during the
conflict. Instability often leads to weak governance and, subsequently, a failure to restore order
or provide basic governance services. Additionally, it fosters polarization within a society and
triggers nationalist sentiment, which complicates many aspects of national reconciliation.
Besides, these factors greatly hinder economic recovery, making citizens more susceptible to
anger and rekindling violence, thus bringing everything into a vicious cycle. There are also gaps
in public safety arising from the inability of security sector reforms to keep up with the pace of
political changes. Paris also mentions the two-sided sword of international aid, accentuating the
vague antagonism of assistance, which from one side provides aid but increases the negative
perception of the government and alienates citizens even more.
Global Perspective

Political instability makes it much harder to build lasting peace, not just in the country facing
conflict, but also in neighboring countries. According to the United Nations, when a country is
politically unstable, it struggles to maintain good governance, strong political institutions, and a
healthy economy. The process of rebuilding security forces, like the police and military, becomes
more difficult because reforms often take too long or don’t work as expected. Political gridlock
and a lack of action from leaders can also prevent democracy from functioning properly, slowing
down progress in the country.

International intervention, although sometimes necessary, can be seen as an attack on a country’s

independence, making peacebuilding even harder. Also, when a country’s government can’t
make necessary changes on its own, outside influences can create problems in neighboring areas,
such as refugee crises, forced migration, or conflicts between countries. To create lasting peace,
a country needs a strategy that strengthens its government, boosts its economy, and carefully
reforms its security forces.

Three (3) Problems and Solutions

Problem: Political instability weakens the government’s ability to provide services, enforce
laws, and build trust. This makes it hard to keep the peace and ensure stability.
Solution: Strengthen governance by building strong institutions, training public officials, and
ensuring that leaders are accountable. International organizations can help guide and support
these efforts.

Problem: After conflict, security sectors (police, military) need reform to restore order, but
political instability often causes delays or makes these reforms ineffective.
Solution: Focus on quick and practical security reforms. The international community can assist
in training and providing resources to improve local police and military forces.

Problem: Political instability often causes economic struggles, like high unemployment and
inflation, which can fuel discontent and violence.
Solution: Governments need to implement economic reforms that promote stability, create jobs,
and encourage investment. Aid and support from international organizations can help boost the
economy during this time.

Conclusion

In conclusion, political instability makes it much harder for countries to build lasting peace after
a conflict. It weakens the government, disrupts the economy, and delays important changes to
security forces, which can lead to further violence and unrest. Political instability also creates
challenges for establishing trust among citizens and between nations. To achieve lasting peace,
it’s important to strengthen governance, speed up security reforms, and improve the economy.
With the right support and a clear plan, countries can overcome these challenges and move
toward lasting peace.

References
Paris, R. (2004). At war's end: Building peace after civil conflict. Cambridge University Press.
United Nations. (n.d.-a). Post-conflict peacebuilding: An orientation. United Nations
Peacebuilding Support Office.
https://www.un.org/peacebuilding/sites/www.un.org.peacebuilding/files/documents/peacebuildin
g_orientation.pdf

United Nations. (n.d.-b). Conflict prevention, post-conflict peacebuilding, and the promotion of
durable peace, rule of law, and sustainable development in Africa. United Nations Economic and
Social Council. https://sdgs.un.org/statements/conflict-prevention-post-conflict-peace-building-
and-promotion-durable-peace-rule-law

United Nations. (2021, December 16). UN announces initiative to overcome political deadlock in
Libya. Associated Press. https://apnews.com/article/eca3b6af8c3525a769d0366db3afd46c

Wikipedia. (2025, March 4). Responsibility to protect. Wikipedia.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Responsibility_to_protect

Associated Press. (2024, December 16). UN announces initiative to overcome political deadlock
in Libya. Associated Press. https://apnews.com/article/eca3b6af8c3525a769d0366db3afd46c

Reuters. (2024, December 15). UN launches fresh attempt to resolve Libya's election impasse.
Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/un-launches-fresh-attempt-resolve-libyas-
election-impasse-2024-12-15

United Nations. (n.d.). Post-conflict peacebuilding: An orientation. United Nations

Peacebuilding Support Office.
https://www.un.org/peacebuilding/sites/www.un.org.peacebuilding/files/documents/peacebuildin
g_orientation.pdf

United Nations. (n.d.). Conflict prevention, post-conflict peacebuilding, and the promotion of
durable peace, rule of law, and sustainable development in Africa. United Nations Economic and
Social Council. https://sdgs.un.org/statements/conflict-prevention-post-conflict-peace-building-
and-promotion-durable-peace-rule-law

Reuters. (2024, December 15). UN launches fresh attempt to resolve Libya's election impasse.
Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/un-launches-fresh-attempt-resolve-libyas-
election-impasse-2024-12-15