Abstract

The chapter investigates the dynamics, issues, politics and practice of peacebuilding in Guinea-Bissau. Described by many as either a ‘narco’, ‘failed’, ‘weak’ or ‘collapsed’ state, the tiny West African country has seen several phases of peacebuilding. The persistence of a non-functional state, the many coups d’état, plots and collusions, illegal detentions and constant disappearances of political actors have resulted in a sustained period of instability, underdevelopment and destruction of state structures. This has called into question the efficacy of the international liberal peacebuilding agenda. Following the April 2012 military intervention, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) intervened to help restore stability. Their actions were supported by the Community of Portuguese Language Countries, the African Union, the European Union, and the United Nations. For nearly a decade, regional and international actors have contributed to new and competing trends and practices in the global peacebuilding discourse. This chapter discusses some of the hurdles in understanding how multiple actors with specific influence promote their own understanding of peacebuilding within the context of fragility and instability.