Journal of International Relations and Policy
JIRP is an open access journal that publishes original research on international relations and policy. It is hosted by CARI Journals, a reputable publisher of academic journals in Africa and beyond. JIRP is indexed in several databases, which increase the exposure and impact of the articles. The journal has an ISSN and a DOI, and follows the CC BY license. JIRP publishes monthly and provides certificates for publication to the authors. The authors can also request a print copy of the issue. JIRP offers many benefits to the authors, such as high-quality peer review, fast publication, wide readership, promotion tools, and editorial support.
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
Kenya’s Role in Curbing Transnational Organized Crimes (TOCs) within East Africa Region
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the role the Kenyan state has played in curbing the Transnational Organised Crimes (TNOCs) within the region. The increasing internationalized markets and the development of regional economic communities (RECs) have led to the emergence of regional integration agreements, such as the East African Community. Methodology: The study gathered information from crucial government informants within the Ministry of EAC, the Ministry of Industrialization, Trade and Development, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration. The researcher also engaged academic experts in the area of study. Other respondents included the County Commissioners, Senior County security officials and Immigration officers in the border towns along Kenya–Uganda (Busia and Malaba) and Kenya–Tanzania (Isebania and Namanga) borders. The study adopted the post-positivistic paradigm. The mixed methods design was embraced in the study. The research used questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, surveys and focus group discussions (FGD) on collecting primary data. The study obtained secondary data through a review of documents on EAC regional integration and TNOCs in the custody of EAC and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The study utilized content analysis techniques to analyse the data. The presentation of the data was continuously based on the themes developed. Findings: The study found that the Kenyan state (Kenya's Intelligence Community) has contributed to curbing TNOCs within the region. The intelligence community plays a crucial role in these efforts by gathering and analyzing information and intelligence to support investigations and operations aimed at disrupting and dismantling criminal organizations. The EAC has created the Joint Intelligence and Operations Centre (JIOC) to coordinate and share intelligence among member states and has also developed a regional action plan to enhance collaboration on counterterrorism efforts. Unique Contribution to Theory, Policy and Practice: The study contributes to the theory by applying constructivism to explain the effects of regional norms and cooperation on the response to transnational organized crime. It trains policy through enhancing more efficient intelligence-sharing and regional capacity such as a Joint Intelligence and Operations Centre. In practice, it focuses on the increased inter-agency cooperation, implementation of AML frameworks, and strengthening of security institutions capacity. It also educates future research on the impact of regional organizations and the impact of integration on the effectiveness of crime control.
Copyright (c) 2026 Regina K. Muiyuro https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The Role of Non-State Actors in Shaping the Political Landscape and Influencing Foreign Aid Interventions in South Sudan
Purpose: This study investigates the multifaceted role of non-state actors in shaping the political landscape and influencing foreign aid interventions in post-independent South Sudan. Methodology: Employing a convergent parallel mixed-methods design, the research captures the nuanced realities of aid and governance. The study utilized qualitative interviews with 135 stakeholders and focus group discussions, alongside a quantitative survey of 305 respondents (representing a 93.3% return rate). Data were analyzed using thematic content analysis and inferential statistics to ensure a robust triangulation of findings. Findings: The results reveal that non-state actors serve as critical intermediaries and power brokers who often facilitate negotiations but can also manipulate aid for political gain, which occasionally undermines state authority and long-term stability. Furthermore, these actors establish parallel governance structures that significantly influence local dispute resolution and security provisioning. This leads to the emergence of hybrid political orders where authority is fragmented between formal state institutions and informal non-state entities. The study concludes that while NSAs are indispensable for service delivery, their influence is double-edged, necessitating a move away from siloed operations toward synchronized engagement. Unique Contribution to Theory, Policy, and Practice: Theoretically, the study extends Institutional Theory by documenting how "tactical decoupling" occurs in fragile states, where formal policies are adopted for legitimacy while informal networks drive actual resource distribution. In terms of policy, the research provides a framework for the Ministry of Interior and international donors to formalize informal dispute mechanisms and implement shared monitoring systems to provide a transparent audit trail for aid. Practically, the study advocates for a paradigm shift in international interventions that prioritizes local agency and networked governance. Recommendations include the establishment of a joint national steering committee to integrate non-state actors into formal governance frameworks, fostering more inclusive, accountable, and sustainable peacebuilding efforts.
Copyright (c) 2026 Mr. Malueth Ayuel Madut, Dr. Abraham Kuol Nyuon https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Access to Freshwater and Bilateral Relationships among Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna (GBM) Basin States
Purpose: The primary objective of this study is to examine how access to freshwater influences bilateral relationships among Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna (GBM) basin states. Methodology: The study employs a qualitative analysis of publicly available primary and secondary scholarships, treaties, policy documents, and institutional reports related to transboundary water governance in the GBM basin. The analysis is based on resources accessed through openly accessible documents, journals, and libraries. Findings: The study finds that unilateral control and diversion of freshwater-flows by upstream states erode trust and mutual credibility for cooperative commitments, while water scarcity generating domestic livelihood stress in downstream states. Absence of multilateral institutions prevents multilateral water-governance by limiting political space for regional cooperation. Despite having potential for harboring multilateral cooperation, the current context of water disputes basin undermines the Political and Economic Integration (PEI) across GBM basin states. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The study advances transboundary water governance and international political economy by framing freshwater scarcity as a structural constraint to political and economic integration. Extending hydro-political analysis to understudied GBM basin context, it shows how upstream asymmetries erode trust, weaken institutions, and impede regional integration, undermining the need for basin-wide cooperation.
Copyright (c) 2026 Mohammad Aynal Haque https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The Role of Cyber Operations and Information Warfare in the Strategic Calculus of State and Non-State Actors
Purpose: This research critically interrogates the strategic proliferation of cyber capabilities and information warfare within the evolving architecture of international security. It seeks to elucidate how cyber operations serve as asymmetrical instruments of coercion, deception, and ideological influence, thereby reshaping core paradigms of sovereignty, conflict, and power projection in contemporary geopolitics. Methodology: Employing a multidisciplinary analytical framework, this study synthesises insights from strategic studies, cybersecurity theory, and international relations discourse. It undertakes a qualitative analysis of case studies involving state-sponsored cyber operations, complemented by a critical review of policy documents, legal frameworks, and scholarly debates. The research critically evaluates the normative assumptions underpinning sovereignty, attribution, and regulation, employing a constructivist lens to interrogate how norms evolve in response to technological innovation and strategic imperatives. Findings: The findings reveal that cyber and information domains are increasingly embedded within hybrid strategies that leverage ambiguity, deniability, and asymmetry to disrupt established norms of warfare and diplomacy. Strategic motivations encompass hegemonic ambitions, the pursuit of strategic ambiguity, and the ideological dissemination of influence, often operating in a normative grey zone that complicates attribution and accountability. The analysis underscores that normative dilemmas, particularly issues of sovereignty, attribution, and the regulation of state and non-state actors, pose fundamental challenges to the development of effective international governance frameworks. The proliferation of cyber capabilities heightens risks of escalation, proliferation, and strategic instability, especially given the difficulties in establishing credible deterrence mechanisms. Unique Contribution to Theory, Policy, and Practice: This study advances the theoretical understanding of cyber operations as integral to the ontological redefinition of sovereignty and conflict in the information age. It critically engages with constructivist and realist perspectives to interrogate how normative frameworks evolve amidst strategic ambiguity. Policy-wise, it advocates for a nuanced, multilayered approach that combines resilience-building, normative norm development, and robust multilateral institutions capable of addressing the complex, transnational nature of cyber threats. Practically, it emphasises the imperative for states and non-state actors to develop adaptive, norm-sensitive strategies that mitigate the risk of escalation while fostering a resilient international security architecture that is responsive to the diffuse and contested nature of cyber power.
Copyright (c) 2026 Christian C. Madubuko https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Interrogating the Role of Interpol in Combating Terrorism and Other Transnational Organized Crimes in the West African Sub-Region
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to interrogate the role of INTERPOL in combating terrorism and other transnational organized crimes in the West African sub-region. Methodology: The researchers adopted Woodrow Wilson’s Collective security theory and exploratory design for the study. Primary and secondary data were obtained by using a purposive sampling technique. Respondents with relevant experience and knowledge of the subject matter were engaged. Primary data were obtained using 14 key informant interviews, 4 focus group discussions, and 25 in-depth interviews held with selected stakeholders, INTERPOL officials and personnel, investigators, analysts, and administrators working within Interpol's Regional Bureau for West Africa, based in Abuja, Nigeria. Secondary data were obtained from published works, including books, journals, and online articles, analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings: Factors hindering INTERPOL's effectiveness include political interference, inadequate training, language barriers, insufficient technology, and corruption. Transnational crimes in West Africa involve suicide bombings, kidnappings, human/drug/arms trafficking, cyber fraud, and banditry. INTERPOL's roles include intelligence sharing via WAPIS, suspect prosecution, training, global initiatives, and crime pattern analysis. Major challenges: language barriers, political meddling, funding shortages, limited tech, poor intelligence sharing, and corruption Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The study clearly identifies the gap that lies between policy implementation, and influence of INTERPOL in combating terrorism and other transnational organized crimes in the West African sub-region. The study underscored the urgent need for reform, highlighting the importance of enhancing institutional integrity, improving training, and fostering inter-agency collaboration. The paper, therefore, concluded that investment in advanced technologies and information-sharing remained essential for bolstering Interpol's capacity and ensuring peace and stability in West Africa.
Copyright (c) 2026 Ukukong Augustine Unimnia, Sunday Uba Macaulay, Dr. Temitope Francis Abiodun https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0