Abstract There is an academic consensus that addressing the local cleavages that drive armed conflict through local peacemaking is crucial to building peace. However, several studies also suggest that local peacemaking is often unsustainable without the conclusion of a national-level elite pact. This article moves this debate forward by arguing that even if an elite-level pact is in place, a lack of connections between national-level elites and local conflict parties can prevent peace from trickling down from the national level to the local level. This argument is demonstrated by looking at national-level and local peacemaking efforts in the Central African Republic. Although several national-level peace agreements have been concluded in the Central African Republic, extreme state weakness and a highly fragmented patronage-based system have prevented national-level peacemaking efforts from having a positive impact on local peacemaking efforts in the Central African Republic. This article contributes to the literature on conflict resolution in Africa. Many studies have focused on the local peace process, yet the national-level context in which these local peace processes take place is only rarely considered.

中文翻译：

---

中非共和国的国家弱点、支离破碎的赞助系统和旷日持久的地方冲突

摘要 学术界有一个共识，即通过地方和平解决推动武装冲突的地方分裂对于建设和平至关重要。然而，一些研究还表明，如果没有达成国家级精英协议，地方和平往往是不可持续的。本文通过认为即使制定了精英层面的协议，国家层面的精英与地方冲突各方之间缺乏联系，也可能阻止和平从国家层面流向地方层面，从而推动这场辩论。通过观察中非共和国的国家层面和地方建立和平的努力可以证明这一论点。尽管在中非共和国缔结了若干国家一级的和平协定，极端的国家软弱和高度分散的以赞助为基础的制度阻碍了国家一级的和平努力对中非共和国当地的和平努力产生积极影响。本文为非洲解决冲突的文献做出了贡献。许多研究都集中在地方和平进程上，但很少考虑这些地方和平进程发生的国家层面的背景。