Malawi-Tanzania Border Conflicts

761 Words4 Pages

Escalation and Resolution of Border Disputes and Interstate Conflicts in Africa: The Malawi—Tanzania Case
Borders are ubiquitous in political life (Vaughan-Williams). The concept of the border in a state system is the delimitation of the political and authoritative power of the government in a geographical arrangement. The presence of a boundary line signifies the independence of the state within its border limits. All in all, territorial boundary defines a state. Max Weber defined the concept of a state as a human community with a given territory that has the authority to claim the monopoly of the legitimate use of force. The purpose of a border is not only to delimit the state but also the cultural values, norms, and beliefs practiced by …show more content…

As a result of this, there had been a constant uproar of border disputes between bilateral states. Ironically, several states have even gone to war in the defense of the borders demarcated by the European government. Consequently, these border disputes have resulted as a source of irritants in the political environment of Africa.
This essay highlight the case of the border dispute between Malawi and Tanzania. The dispute involves a dynamic history between the two states. Moreover, the case and effect of the conflict on both states are stated. The origin of the conflict can be traced back to the late-19th century. The case of Malawi and Tanzania emphasizes the importance of the borders in the international system and the issues involving borders in establishing efficient international relations …show more content…

The concept of a border dispute involves a disagreement between two states on a point of law or fact, manifested by the claim of control or possession over a disputed piece of territory (Yoon). International oceanic body conflicts are the most complex and complicated among such cases. Even though territorial disputes involving the extension of the boundary over lakes is less disputed and contentious, but that might not always be the case. Increase in population along with dwindling resources are often the main causes of border disputes. The border conflicts between The Republic of Malawi (formally known as Nyasaland) and The United Republic of Tanzania (formally known as Tanganyika) concerns the location of the territory between the two states on, or at the borderline of the Malawi/Nyasa Lake. The dispute, however, can be categorized within three timelines considering the time of the demarcation of the boundary, political inconsistency in the mid-20th century and the present state of the