Sustainable Development Goals, Conflict, and Fragility: Anglophone Crisis in Cameroon

Good governance is critical in creating a conducive business environment and sustained economic growth. However, the weak governance characterized by social inequality has led to instability, fragility, and conflict in many African countries. Part of instability and fragility is deeply rooted in colonialism and dates back to the emergence of modern African states. The Anglophone crisis in Cameroon is such a typical challenge. This chapter presents two key concerns that have not yet been adequately addressed: First, how do the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their targets address the challenge of Africa’s historical instability and fragility? Second, on the flip side, how does long-standing instability and fragility affect the achievability of the goals? A key lesson from the Anglophone crisis is that, contrary to the universal understanding, SDGs are not just a development framework to pick up from where the United Nations Millennium Development Goals stopped. They are, as well, instruments to reflect on historical and structural foundations that form the root causes of conflict and fragility. SDGs call for international cooperation toward establishing a fundamental change to build back better: replacing the root causes of vulnerability and fragility with pillars of social equity to attain economic growth and sustainable development.