ADF

ADF STAFF King Tenkamenin ruled the Kingdom of Ghana with style. He insisted on good etiquette. His airy, windowed court was built with teak and stone and filled with paintings and sculptures. The king wore fine clothes and a tall gold cap, and he adorned himself with gold necklaces and bracelets. In his court, 10 pages carrying gold shields and swords stood behind him. Ten horses were nearby, each with a gold-trimmed cloth. Finely dressed sons of lesser kings stood at his right, each with gold-braided hair. His subjects approached him on their knees, sprinkling dirt on their heads as…

CLUES The dunes here have red, brown, violet, green, blue, purple and yellow sand. This is the only place in the world that has earth in seven colors. The sands settle into layers to show bands of colors. Weathered volcanic basalt and the formation of secondary iron oxides and hydroxides produce the range of colors. ANSWER: The Seven Coloured Earths in Mauritius

The most successful militaries around the world hold a few things in common. They have high standards, they constantly look for ways to improve, and they place ethics at the center of all missions. In a word, they are professional. Fostering a climate of military professionalism is the challenge. It is complicated by the fact that many nations have histories marked by political turmoil, ethnic conflict and corruption. African militaries are rising to the challenge of instilling professionalism throughout their ranks. Some notable examples include: Investing in staff colleges and centers of excellence: The number of staff colleges in Africa…

Leadership is a process of exerting social influence to inspire others and enlist their support for accomplishment of a common goal. Strategic leadership provides sustainable visionary direction for the growth and success of an organization, meeting the aspirations of the led, and managing change effectively toward a desired future. Military leaders should not just focus on threats requiring hegemonic intervention, because threats have now shifted from state-centric to human-centered. As such, a military leader should not be looked at as a specialist on violence alone. A military leader should be looked at as a partner in sustainable development, but without…

Burkina Faso and Niger will exchange 18 towns to settle a long-running border dispute and end years of litigation. Burkina Faso will gain 14 towns, and Niger will receive four between May 2015 and the end of 2016, when the drawing of the boundary is complete, said Kouara Apiou Kabore of the Burkina Faso National Border Commission. Niger and Burkina Faso, which were French colonies before independence in 1960, share a border of nearly 1,000 kilometers, about a third of which has been mapped. The rest of the border, which both countries have contested, was redefined in a 2013 decision…

Kenya opened a new forensic lab in May 2015, supported by foreign donors, in a bid to improve the country’s record in prosecuting wildlife crimes. Scientists at the forensic and genetics laboratory at the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) headquarters in Nairobi will be able to analyze and genetically trace seized items such as elephant ivory or rhino horn to provide more compelling evidence in court cases. Construction of the 60 million shilling ($623,000) facility has taken nearly three years. Tanzania opened a similar lab at a college in Moshi in 2013 to provide training in forensic science. “The establishment of…

Zimbabwe soon could approve construction of a large tourist center at Victoria Falls to cater to 120,000 visitors per year, officials said in June 2015. The $18 million park at the UNESCO world heritage site will boast a replica African village and will use exhibits to tell the story of the waterfalls known locally as “Mosi-oa-Tunya,” which translates to “the smoke that thunders.” “It will be a giant village, African in design and style, showcasing village scenes, traditional customs and history,” said Dave Glynn, chairman of the developers Africa Albida Tourism. “This is not a theme park. This is strictly…

Building a Military Culture that Molds Ethical Leaders In a speech to graduating Air Force cadets, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, South Africa’s minister of defense, told the audience they were about to embark on a career like no other. “You have accepted the highest call to duty any citizen can ever take,” she said in June 2015. “As you pass out today, you join a unique group of South Africans, those who, instead of a normal job, have elected to serve as defenders of your country, its people and its resources.” But, she added, the true nature of a military professional can…

In Multinational Missions, Preparation and Discipline Are Key COL. EMMANUEL KOTIA, PH.D., CHIEF INSTRUCTOR AT THE KOFI ANNAN INTERNATIONAL PEACEKEEPING TRAINING CENTRE, ACCRA, GHANA Military professionalism has three main characteristics: responsibility, corporate unity and expertise, according to Samuel Huntington in his book, The Soldier and the State. These should be at the core of all military functions. Their importance in peacekeeping dates back to 1948 when the military played a central role in the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization in the Middle East, the first modern peacekeeping mission. Today, the U.N. leads 16 peacekeeping operations worldwide. All depend on the efforts…

One of Africa’s youngest militaries, the Botswana Defence Force, was formed with professionalism at its core Lt. Gen. Tebogo Masire was commander of the Botswana Defence Force (BDF) until his retirement in 2012. During his 35-year military career, he served in a number of command positions, including air arm commander from 1989 to 2006. A pilot with more than 4,000 flying hours, Masire flew all four presidents of Botswana to destinations in 30 countries. At the time of his retirement, he was the last member of Botswana’s first batch of military recruits to still be in active service. He spoke…