Issaka K. Souaré

Dr. Issaka K. Souaré is a political scientist and Research Fellow at the Peace Research Institute Frankfurt (PRIF) since 2024. He specializes in governance, democratization, regional integration, peace and security, and mediation in Africa, with a focus on West Africa and the African Union.

• Current: Associate Fellow, PRIF's Glocal Junctions department
• Past: Senior Mediation Advisor (UN, 2016–2021), AU Special Advisor for Mali (2013–2016), ISS Senior Researcher (2007–2012)

His research spans military coups, transitional justice, electoral politics, and the role of regional organizations in conflict resolution. He has authored monographs on Guinean diplomacy and opposition parties in Africa, and co-authored works on counterterrorism and civilian protection in Mali/CAR.

Recent publications analyze Niger's UN Security Council role (2023), military coup patterns (2024), and African Union counter-coup norms (2014). His work appears in International Peacekeeping, Journal of Modern African Studies, and Review of African Political Economy.

He holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of Quebec in Montreal (2010), an MA in International Relations from London Metropolitan University (2002), and an MA in Arabic from Medina University (1999).