Publication

The paper analyzes the concept of coherence in the context of state-failure in Sierra Leone. The focus lies on the engagement of the United Kingdom during the 1991-2002 civil war. The author analyzes the coherence in the UK’s policies over time and the related overall outcome for all parties affected. He concludes that policy coherence is useful as a concept and has value as a policy goal by virtue of its ability to consistently further other valid policy goals. Nevertheless, its value is more limited in situations where a government must consciously trade off goals that are inherently in conflict.