IPSTC — International Peace & Security Training Centre
ISSN 2789-4421
Open Access · CC-BY 4.0
Double-Blind Peer Reviewed
Vol. 5 · 2026
Submit your manuscript · Track your submission · Special Issue: Climate Security open until 31 Jan 2026Submit now →
Lead article — Vol. 5, No. 1 · 2026
Conflict Resolution Frameworks in the Horn of Africa: A Comparative Study
An empirical examination of multilateral mediation architectures across six post-conflict contexts, testing the efficacy of IGAD-led versus AU Commission frameworks in achieving durable ceasefires.
Amara Diallo & Fatima Okonkwo · University of Nairobi
1,240
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10.47285/aaj.v5i1.62
More in this issue
Gender & Security
Women's Leadership in Post-Conflict Reconstruction: The Somalia Case
Halima Nur · Vol 5, No 1
Gender
Governance
Electoral Violence Prevention Mechanisms in the East African Community
Kwame Asante, Miriam Wangari · Vol 5, No 1
Governance
Most read this month
01 · 1,240 reads
Security Sector Reform in the EAC: Institutional Constraints and Pathways
Amara Diallo · 2025
02 · 984 reads
Transitional Justice Mechanisms in Post-Conflict Ethiopia
Kwame Asante · Vol 3, No 4 · 2024
03 · 876 reads
Operationalising UNSCR 1325 in Sub-Saharan Defence Structures
Sara Ndegwa · Vol 4, No 1 · 2025
Announcements
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Climate Security special issue
Deadline: 31 January 2026
New
Vol 5, Issue 1 published
December 2025 · 8 articles
Journal metrics
142
Articles
38
Reviewers
21
Countries
4.2w
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142
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38
Active reviewers
21
Countries represented
4.2 wks
Average review time
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African & International Coverage
AAJ publishes peer-reviewed research spanning all African sub-regions and global scholarship on peace and security.
East Africa
54 articles
Conflict Resolution & Peace Operations
Kenya · Tanzania · Uganda · Rwanda · Ethiopia · Somalia · Sudan · South Sudan · Djibouti
Top themes:
IGAD MediationAU MissionsSSR
West Africa
38 articles
Governance, Coups & Maritime Security
Nigeria · Ghana · Senegal · Mali · Burkina Faso · Côte d'Ivoire · Guinea · Sierra Leone
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About the journal
Africa Amani Journal
Published by IPSTC since 2021 · Quarterly · Open Access · Double-blind peer reviewed
Mandate & scope
The Africa Amani Journal (AAJ) is a peer-reviewed, open-access publication of the International Peace and Security Training Centre (IPSTC), Nairobi. It provides a rigorous academic platform for policy-relevant research on peace, security, and governance across Africa, with particular focus on the Horn of Africa and Indian Ocean region.
Publishing model
AAJ is fully open access — all articles are freely available online under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC-BY 4.0) licensing immediately upon publication. The journal employs rigorous double-blind peer review and adheres to COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidelines. Submission is free; an Article Processing Charge (APC) of USD 150 applies only on acceptance, with waivers available for authors in low- or middle-income countries.
"A platform where African scholars set the terms of the security discourse — and shape the policies that follow."
Prof. Emeka Obi — Editor-in-Chief
Journal facts
Publisher
IPSTC, Nairobi, Kenya
ISSN (online)
2789-4421
Founded
2021
Frequency
Quarterly (4 issues/year)
Review type
Double-blind peer review
Access
Open access · CC-BY 4.0 · Free submission · USD 150 APC on acceptance
Publication standards
Policies & guidelines
Author guidelines
Manuscripts must be 6,000–10,000 words (excluding references), written in English, following Chicago Author-Date 18th edition. Files must be .docx, fully anonymised. Abstract: 250 words max. Keywords: 5–7.
Publication ethics
AAJ adheres to COPE guidelines on authorship, plagiarism, and research integrity. Submission implies the work is original, unpublished, and not under consideration elsewhere.
AI use policy In effect Nov 2025
Authors must disclose any use of AI writing or analysis tools in a dedicated disclosure section. AI tools may not be listed as co-authors under any circumstances.
Open access & copyright
All articles are published open access under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC-BY 4.0). Submission is free of charge. An Article Processing Charge (APC) of USD 150 is invoiced only upon acceptance of a manuscript. Authors affiliated with institutions in low- or middle-income countries (per World Bank classification) may apply for a full or partial waiver at the point of acceptance; waiver requests have no influence on editorial decisions.
Download policy documents
How we work
Editorial Process
Submission to publication
1. Submission received
Day 0
Automatic confirmation with submission ID sent to corresponding author.
2. Initial screening
Within 5 business days
Editorial office checks scope, formatting, anonymisation, and plagiarism (Turnitin).
3. Double-blind peer review
4–6 weeks
Two qualified reviewers assess the manuscript independently.
4. Editorial decision
Within 1 week of receiving reports
5. Production & publication
3–4 weeks after acceptance
Average timelines
Submission to first decision
7 weeks
Submission to publication
~14 weeks
Peer review period
4–6 weeks
The people behind the journal
Editorial Board
AAJ's editorial board brings together leading scholars and practitioners in peace, security, and governance from across Africa and the global academic community.
JM
Editor-in-Chief
Prof. James Mugo
International Peace & Security Training Centre (IPSTC), Nairobi
Specialises in African peace operations, security sector reform, and multilateral conflict prevention mechanisms.
FO
Managing Editor
Dr. Fatima Okonkwo
University of Nairobi · Department of International Relations
Gender, security, and post-conflict reconstruction in sub-Saharan Africa. COPE-certified editor.
Associate Editors
KA
Dr. Kwame Asante
Governance & Democracy
University of Ghana, Legon · Electoral violence, democratic transitions, ECOWAS governance frameworks.
🇬🇭 Ghana
SN
Dr. Sara Ndegwa
Gender & Security
Strathmore University, Nairobi · Women, peace and security, UNSCR 1325 implementation, East African case studies.
🇰🇪 Kenya
MK
Dr. Moussa Konaté
Climate & Security
Université de Bamako · Climate-induced displacement, Sahel conflict dynamics, resource competition in West Africa.
🇲🇱 Mali
CO
Prof. Chidi Okafor
Maritime Security
University of Port Harcourt · Gulf of Guinea piracy, blue economy governance, Nigeria maritime law.
🇳🇬 Nigeria
MW
Dr. Miriam Wangari
Peace Operations
University of Nairobi · AU peace operations, AMISOM/ATMIS, transitional justice mechanisms in East Africa.
🇰🇪 Kenya
AD
Dr. Amara Diallo
Conflict Resolution
University of Nairobi · IGAD mediation frameworks, SSR, comparative post-conflict reconstruction in the Horn of Africa.
🇸🇳 Senegal / Kenya
International Advisory Board
Prof. Ngozi Adeyemi
Peace Studies
Lagos Institute for Peace Studies
🇳🇬 Nigeria
Dr. Suleiman Osman
Transitional Justice
University of Khartoum
🇸🇩 Sudan
Prof. Elena Marchetti
International Law
University of Bologna
🇮🇹 Italy
Dr. Rashid Al-Amin
Arab-African Relations
American University in Cairo
🇪🇬 Egypt
Interested in joining the editorial board?
We welcome nominations of qualified scholars with expertise in African peace and security studies.
Submissions open
Call for Papers
Featured · Special Issue
Climate Security & Environmental Peacebuilding
Submission deadline
31 Jan 2026
We invite submissions examining the nexus between climate change, resource competition, forced displacement, and conflict dynamics in sub-Saharan Africa.
Manuscript submission portal
Submit your article
Complete all four steps below. An automatic confirmation email with your submission ID will be sent immediately on submission.
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3 — File upload
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Cover letter (optional)
.pdf or .docx · Max 2 MB
4 — Compliance checklist
Manuscript is fully anonymised for double-blind review
Follows Chicago Author-Date 18th edition citation style
Original, unpublished work not under review elsewhere
Any AI writing tool usage disclosed in the manuscript
All conflicts of interest declared
I have read and agree to the AAJ author guidelines and ethics policy
5 — Fees & charges
Article Processing Charge (APC)
Payable on acceptance only
USD 150
Standard APC
Invoiced on acceptance
USD 0
With waiver
LMICs · on request
What the APC covers
✓ Open-access hosting
✓ DOI registration
✓ XML & HTML formatting
✓ Global index submission
✓ Perpetual archiving
✓ CC-BY 4.0 licensing
Waiver policy
Authors affiliated with institutions in low- or middle-income countries (World Bank classification) may apply for a full or partial APC waiver at the point of acceptance. Waiver requests have no influence on editorial decisions and are assessed separately by the managing editor.
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I wish to apply for an APC waiver and will provide justification if requested.
Help centre
Frequently asked questions
How do I submit a manuscript?
Go to Submit Article in the nav or use your Dashboard. Fill in the manuscript details, upload your anonymised .docx file, complete the compliance checklist, and click Submit.
Is there a submission charge?
Submission is free. An Article Processing Charge (APC) of USD 150 applies only if your manuscript is accepted for publication. Authors at institutions in low- or middle-income countries may request a full or partial waiver at the point of acceptance — this has no bearing on the editorial decision.
What type of peer review does AAJ use?
AAJ uses double-blind peer review. Neither authors nor reviewers are identified to each other during the review process.
How long does the review process take?
The average time from submission to first decision is seven weeks. Peer review takes four to six weeks.
What citation style does AAJ use?
AAJ uses Chicago Author-Date, 18th edition.
What is AAJ's AI use policy?
Authors must disclose any use of AI writing or analysis tools. AI tools may not be listed as co-authors. The updated policy is in effect from November 2025.
Still have a question?
Our editorial team typically responds within two business days.
Get in touch
Contact & support
Editorial office
Publisher
IPSTC, Karen, Nairobi, Kenya
Email
editorial@aaj.ipstc.org
Response time
Within 2 business days
Author Portal · Vol. 5 · 2026
Welcome back, Amara.
3
Submissions
All time
1
Under Review
AAJ-2025-0147
2
Published
Open access
218
Downloads
Combined total
Active submission
0147
Conflict Resolution Frameworks in the Horn of Africa
Submitted 14 Nov 2025 · Peace & Conflict
Under review
SN
New message from editorial team
Dr. Sara Ndegwa re: AAJ-2025-0147 — your manuscript has passed initial screening…
View →
Quick actions
My submissions
0147
Conflict Resolution Frameworks in the Horn of Africa
Submitted 14 Nov 2025 · Peace & Conflict
Under review
0109
Security Sector Reform in the East African Community
Submitted 3 Aug 2025 · Governance
Published
0072
Transitional Justice Mechanisms in Post-Conflict Ethiopia
Submitted 10 Jan 2025 · Peace & Conflict
Published
Published articles218 combined downloads
Security Sector Reform in the East African Community
Oct 2025 · Vol. 4, No. 2
10.47285/aaj.v4i2.58
134
downloads
Transitional Justice Mechanisms in Post-Conflict Ethiopia
Apr 2025 · Vol. 4, No. 1
10.47285/aaj.v4i1.51
84
downloads
Messages1 unread
SN
Dr. Sara Ndegwa — Deputy Editor
22 Nov 2025 · AAJ-2025-0147
New
Dear Prof. Diallo, your manuscript has passed initial screening and two reviewers have been assigned. You can expect a decision by late January 2026.