Tomorrow is the International Day of Peace, a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace - within and among nations and peoples. This year it’s celebrated in honour of the right to peace for every person in the world. To mark the day we’ve put together this special newsletter highlighting a few previously published articles that analyse the state of peace in Africa.

The first article focuses on the prospects for peace in one of the continent’s most troubled regions – the Horn of Africa. Martin Plaut examines the historic peace deal between Ethiopia and Eritrea, and its broader implications for stability. He writes that while developments between states in the region can’t be understated, a great deal still needs to be done before there’s sustained peace.

Another aspect of peace is how safe citizens feel in their communities and homes. One measure of this is the Gallup Law and Order index. But Guy Lamb questions its accuracy, arguing that global safety surveys can lead to wrong perceptions about crime and policing.

Peace is only possible if perpetrators of violence are brought to justice. Michelle Nel makes the case for Africa to leave the International Criminal Court and to build its own capabilities of holding perpetrators to account while Theo Neethling argues that the African Union must enter into strategic partnerships if it wants to guarantee the continent’s peace and security in the long term.

Finally, Ylva Rodny-Gumede shifts the focus to the media, suggesting that African journalists can play a role in creating peaceful and non-violent elections.