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Role of Military Intervention in Conflict Situations: A Case Study of Somalia
No full textA Thesis Submitted to the School of Humanities and Social Sciences in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirement for the Award of the Degree of Master of Arts in International Relations (Diplomacy and Foreign Policy Concentration)The general objective of this study is to determine the role of military intervention in conflict situations: A Case Study of Somalia. Specifically, the study was to: one, establish the influence of military intervention in peace enforcement in Somalia; two, examine the influence of military intervention in facilitating humanitarian assistance in Somalia and three to explore the influence of military intervention in peace building in Somalia. This study was an analysis of the literature. Secondary data was obtained from analysis and review of books, academic journals, existing papers and other available literature on the topic under study. The data was analyzed using content analysis. The results were presented under identified themes.
On the military intervention in peace enforcement literature; the study discussed the concept of peace enforcement; and then analyzed a number of military interventions in peace enforcement missions around the world, for instance, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and the Former Yugoslavia, Haiti, Kosovo, Somalia. On military intervention in humanitarian assistance literature, the concept of Responsibility to Protect was discussed. The study analysed the case studies of military intervention in humanitarian assistance in countries such as Libya, DRC Congo and Somalia. On military intervention in peace-building, the study established that Peace-building is a familiar concept within the United Nations and it involves a range of measures targeted to reduce the risk of lapsing or relapsing into conflict by strengthening national capacities at all levels for conflict management, and to lay the foundations for sustainable peace and development. However, there is no standard template for peace-building, there is no one-size-fits-all. Each initiative needs to be crafted in the fullest awareness of the specificity of the context and of the dynamics of the conflict.
The study found many UN missions lack the capacity to repel opponents and change the course of war. In Rwanda the UN did not have capability to deploy a force rapidly and no nation was willing to send in enough troops to solve an internal conflict. Conflicts in Rwanda, Bosnia and Somalia were turning points where some lessons were learnt which has led to changes to improve peace support operations. In Somalia, the lessons learnt from UNITAF and UNOSOM I & II and AMISOM revealed that peacekeeping can be better managed by: matching mandates to needs, communicating the purpose of the mission to the local community; and where the use of force is inevitable in self-defence or where the use of force may be counterproductive.
The study concludes that peacekeeping through use of military after civil wars was found to be a contributing factor to attaining peace and stability. However, peacekeeping cannot guarantee real peace. Even after the fighting has been stopped through military intervention, the risk of renewed conflict is still high. Though military activities reduce the damage of the crisis and creating room for diplomatic and humanitarian actors to address the underlying causes of the conflict; it cannot guarantee real peace. However, they can establish a framework in order to allow the local and international community to do what is necessary to resolve conflicts. The study also concludes military as an essential component of many peace-building operations, presupposes that the presence of the military reduces the propensity for direct conflict and creates a safe space for peace building activities and other categories of intervention that is designed to address the root causes of the violence. However, while using the military, peace-building activities and actors must take a conflict-sensitive approach.
The study recommends that the military while undertaking peace-building activities must take a conflict-sensitive approach. This requires engagement in a conflict analysis exercise in order to identify both the structural causes of conflict, and (which may be different) the current triggers or accelerators of potential renewed conflict. The time has come when the international community needs to let Somalis take charge of their political determination
Relationship between Foreign Intervention and Terrorism: A Case Study of Ethiopia`s Military Intervention in Somalia
No full textA Thesis Submitted to the School of Arts & Sciences in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of Master of Arts in International RelationsThe central goal of this research is to determine the relationship between foreign intervention and terrorism. The study uses Ethiopia`s military intervention in Somalia in late 2006 against the Islamic Courts Union as its focal area of concern. The research findings indicate that there exists a relationship between Ethiopia`s intervention and the rise of Al-Shabaab in Somalia. From a methodological perspective, the research relied on secondary sources of data with a qualitative approach to data collection and analysis used throughout the study. In the course of data analysis the causes, consequences, and legality of Ethiopia`s intervention are examined in depth. The study finds that Ethiopia`s intervention drastically affected the political as well as security landscape inside Somalia. The study finds that by dismantling the Islamic Courts Union, Ethiopia significantly accelerated the rise of Al-Shabaab and the deployment of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). The study further goes on to give recommendations to both the International Community as well as to Somalia on policies and strategies on how to combat Al-Shabaab within the region as well as inside Somalia
Integrated Tourist Market Among The East African Countries: A Case Study Of The Opportunities And Challenges Of A Common East African Visa For The Tourism Industry In Kenya
No full textA Thesis Submitted to the School of Humanities and Social Sciences in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirement for the Degree of Master of Arts in International RelationsWith globalization at the centre stage, power and regulatory practices have been transformed. Rigid territorial frameworks in the form of national boundaries are slowly loosening up paving way for reinforced interdependence. Regions have thus come together to forge alliances to safe guard their interests as well as address certain challenges. Regional integration is not only viewed as a rational response to challenges faced within borders of a geographical area but also perceived as the key to future competitiveness. Regional cooperation for the development and promotion of tourism is therefore attracting attention. The East African Community is one of the regional organisations in Africa. It has incredible potential thanks to her countless opportunities. Kenya is looking for ways of regaining destination confidence and competitiveness. This paper thus examines the integrated tourist market among the East African countries with special focus on the stakeholders’ perceptions about the potential impact of common regional visa on the tourism industry in Kenya. When travel facilitation is prioritized chances of achieving seamless travel experience is high thus promoting tourism. The study revealed a number of factors such as joint marketing of a single destination, economic development, information sharing, a strong regional image and ease of movement with relatively shorter processes that constitute the opportunities of a common visa for the tourism industry in Kenya. Nevertheless, some challenges also emerged such as mistrust among partner states, inadequate infrastructure, lack of awareness, standards of service and procedures at the borders. The study recommends that quality controls and monitoring take effect in order to maintain standards, participation in regional and international fairs as a means of creating awareness and to market the country. Security concerns need to be addressed while adequate policies are put in place so as remove obstacles to tourism growth. It is strategic interventions and participation by the private sector that will drive the uptake of the single tourist visa and further growth of the tourism industry. This can only come to fruition if all partner states are packaged under one umbrella with collaboration and cooperation driven by good leadership. Further research can be expounded on the findings as a means to provide a better understanding of the viability of the East African Tourist Visa (EATV)
The Post- EAC Customs Union Protocol: An assessment of the Informal Cross Border Trade
No full textA Thesis Submitted to the School of Humanities and Social Sciences (SHSS) in Partial
Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of Master of Arts in International RelationsThe study investigates the causes of informal cross border trade in East Africa border points even with the establishment of the East^African Community Customs Union. The study has established that that majority of the traders are not familiar with the EAC Customs Union Protocols and so they may not benefit from it.
The few traders aware of it are less motivated to know how the Protocol can benefit them and they perceive the opening up of trade under the evolving E A C Customs Union Protocol and promotion of formality as an interference and threat to their livelihoods.
The study has established lack of formal employment fueled by inappropriate economic reforms such as structural adjustment programmes, (SAPs), rising rural-urban migration in search of often non- existent employment, and, low wages from the formal employment as the main push factors towards Informal Cross Border Trade ( I C B T )
The Effect of Microfinance Credit on the Performance of Small and Medium Enterprises in Nairobi
No full textA Research Project Report Submitted to the Chandaria School of Business in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of Masters in Business Administration (MBA)The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Microfinance credit on the performance of Manufacturing SME’s in Nairobi County in Kenya. The study was guided by the following research objectives: To assess the effect of credit accessibility on the sustainability of SME’s, to determine the debt rating and performance of SME’ and to determine the favorability of MFI credit terms in comparison to those of the traditional banking institutions.
This study used a descriptive research design to find out the effect of Microfinance credit on the performance of SME’s in Nairobi County in Kenya and this involved the calculation of mean and standard deviation of the variables under study. The population for the study incorporated all the accounts and finance managers working with manufacturing SME’s in Nairobi County which were 145 in total. Using a Yamane (1967) formula a sample of 59 respondents was arrived at. The researcher issued a total of 59 questionnaires and only 50 were filled and returned representing a response rate of 85% which was considered appropriate for the study. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used for data analysis. A correlation and regression analysis was undertaken to investigate how the various variables relate to each other.
Firstly it was established that respondents rely on MFI credit financing for their business. It was also noted that MFI credit has been beneficial in expanding this business. Despite this, quality of service of financial institution’s staff, and low interest rate/cost of borrowing, as well as convenient repayment period which were important in the MFI sustainability.
Secondly, it was established that micro-finance institutions are particularly important for startups; high growth and innovative SME’s. Large institutions have comparative advantages in transactions lending’s than small SME’s. Person correlation test was carried out to determine the relationship between Debt Rating and Performance Of SME’s and the results show that there was a positive and significant correlation between debt rating and performance of SME’s.
Lastly, it was noted that among the problems that hinder SME’s from accessing credits is management. It was also noted that respondents disagreed that they do not apply for loans from micro finance and banks due to fear of being rejected. Despite this, respondents did agree that banks are to blame for poor and difficult evaluation of SMEs creditworthiness.
The study was concluded that Most SMEs have relied on rotating savings and credit association or chamas and MFI credit financing for the business this has been beneficial in expanding this business. In order to be able to approach the MFIs, quality of service of financial institution’s staff was important. Secondly, Micro-finance institutions play a big role in the growth of SME’s, and depending on the size of the firm large institutions have comparative advantages in transactions lending’s than small SME’s. Lastly, banks have played a role in the evaluation of SMEs creditworthiness; this is because they demand high collateral in order to select profitable and reliable clients.
The study recommended that MFI need to review the requirement needed for SMES credit financing. Secondly, the study recommended that there is a need of educating the SMEs about what they need to do in order to have good rating and be able to access to funds at cheaper rates and better terms. Lastly, Management also requires training to better handle the financial aspects of the business. The loan providers need to give the SMEs a chance to grow by ensuring that they gain their confidence. For study recommends that a similar study needs to be done in other counties so as to generalize the findings. In addition, variables such as entrepreneur’s characteristics, SME characteristics of SMEs and management as well as customers and markets intelligence need to be studied to establish how they influence SMEs performance
Strategy Implementation And Performance Of Mobile-Commerce In Kenya’s Commercial Banks
No full textA Dissertation Report Submitted to the Chandaria School of Business in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirement for the Degree of Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of strategy implementation on performance of mobile commerce (M-Commerce) in Kenya’s commercial banks. This study was based on the view that effective strategy implementation influences performance. The main objective of this study was to establish the strategy implementation influence of leadership, structure, information systems, human resources and strategy communication on m-commerce performance in Kenya’s commercial banks. The motivation of this study, was drawn from the fact that many banks in Kenya were investing heavily on the new technology m-commerce without much evidence of the success as demonstrated by other m-commerce service providers such as the mobile network operators in Kenya. Globally, mobile commerce initiatives have generated a lot of hype though some have ended up stagnating or failing completely. Strategy implementation failures have been estimated at between 50 and 80 percent. The high rate of failure is what motivated this study combined with the fact that there is limited research on strategy implementation and on m-commerce performance. In addition, the absence of a clear success in the m-commerce strategy in Kenya’s commercial banks, formed the basis for the need to establish the relationship between strategy implementation factors and m-commerce performance. The study adopted a multi-theoretical approach of the following theories: Resource Based View, Activity Theory, Expectancy Theory and was anchored on Agency Theory. Stratified random sampling technique was used to pick a sample of 133 managers from the target population of 200 from the commercial banks operating in Kenya at the end of December 2015. Data collection was done using structured questionnaires. For data collection method, the researcher recruited research assistants who dropped and picked the questionnaires from the banks. The response rate achieved was 84.76 percent. The research approach utilized positivism research philosophy and descriptive research design. The inferential analysis used in this study, was composed of factor analysis, correlation analysis, Chi square analysis, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The major findings of the study were that strategy implementation variables: organizational leadership, organizational structure, information system and strategic communication were positively and significantly correlated with m-commerce performance. This therefore means the variables influence strategy implementation and m-commerce performance. The study findings also, demonstrated that there was insignificant relationship between human resource variable and m-commerce performance. The influence of human resource on m-commerce performance was negative and statistically insignificant. The conclusion was that the four variables: organizational leadership, organizational structure, information system and strategic communication influence m-commerce performance and that the human resources in the banking industry were no longer rare, inimitable but could be substituted and therefore does not influence strategy implementation and m-commerce performance. This is because bank staff are mobile in nature and that the skill sets that are important for strategy implementation may be lacking. The results will inform banks and key stakeholders on key variables that support the appropriate strategy implementation, the risk of not adopting the right strategy and highlight the opportunity in using m-commerce to provide services to new segments of customers that are currently not served by the current banking services. Additional contribution of this study is the development of measurement parameters of m-commerce performance in commercial banks
Election of trump hurts the shilling
No full textA Newspaper article by Scott Bellows, an Assistant Professor in the Chandaria School of Business at USIU-AfricaSince the beginning of 2017, many commentators lament the steady decline in the Kenyan shilling’s value against the US dollar.
Let us rationally examine what makes currencies ebb and flow against each other on global markets and investigate root causes behind the Shilling’s condition. Obviously, currency prices represent the amount that buyers and sellers agree on in order to make the exchange. But what causes a currency more or less demand on given days? Investors hold two major reasons to demand a currency.
Investors weigh risks versus returns. Therefore, first, investors choose a currency that they feel minimises their risk and avoid potential downfalls in value. Inasmuch, the Burundian Franc proves an unpopular choice due to immense perceived risk in the nation. Investors do not want to lose their funds. Notice the inverse relationship between the Chinese Yuan and Bitcoin.
When Chinese equities markets, Renminbi currency, or economic fundamentals falter, then Bitcoin values shoot through the roof as Chinese investors look to protect their money from risk. Then when indicators in China improve, Bitcoin values drop dramatically again as investors view Chinese investments as less risky