2015

BENJAMIN AWUVAFOGE/KOFI ANNAN INTERNATIONAL PEACEKEEPING TRAINING CENTRE The understanding of security often is limited to armed conflict or violent situations. Hence, most governments’ security planning is focused on the military…

Interstate conflicts have become relatively rare. Militaries today are not often asked to defend national borders from an invading army. The threats of the 21st century in Africa and around the world come mainly from extremist groups,…

In November 2014, a horrific attack was carried out against a mosque in Kano in northern Nigeria, killing more than 100 innocent civilians. It bore the hallmarks of Boko Haram. In northern Kenya, al-Shabaab carried out two…

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE Mozambique, once one of the most heavily land-mined countries in the world, is declaring itself free of the deadly scourge. In 1992, as it emerged from 16 years of civil war, Mozambique was considered — along with…

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE Namibia’s outgoing president has won the Mo Ibrahim Prize for good governance in Africa, the world’s richest award that has seen a dearth of worthy candidates. Hifikepunye Pohamba, 79, is only the fourth winner of the…

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE Since its inception five years ago, LagosPhoto has become one of the biggest photography festivals in Africa. The annual event tries to reflect life on the continent through the eyes of Africans, rather than just…

IEDs Become the Weapon of Choice in Asymmetric Warfare On Sunday, December 28, 2014, a sugar cane seller in Potiskum, Nigeria, died when she stepped on a bomb in a school football field. She was 12 years old. The bomb was planted Sunday…

Extremist groups seek CBRN weapons, but what is the likelihood of an attack? ALEXANDER DETERT/ALUMNUS OF THE GEORGE C. MARSHALL EUROPEAN CENTER FOR SECURITY STUDIES Instability in the wake of the Arab Spring and a new crop of aggressive…

A Conversation with the AMISOM Force Commander Photos by AMISOM Lt. Gen. Silas Ntigurirwa was the force commander of the 22,000-person African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) from December 2013 to December 2014. The first Burundian to…

Kenya’s government is bringing some light — and hope — to Kibera, a sprawling slum on the outskirts of Nairobi. Population and area figures differ from source to source, but at least 200,000 people are believed to live there. Crime is no…