In ‘The Other Side of Drones: Saving Wildlife in Africa and Managing Global Crime’ the negative consequences of poaching are felt in Africa and around the world, governments and law enforcement may have a way to counter this threat: the use of unarmed surveillance drones. In ‘At the Crossroads: Understanding Egypt’s faltering Transition’ while it is accurate to describe Morsi’s ousting by the military as a coup and to acknowledge the serious risks inherent in a return to military-led politics, international and regional observers would do well to recognise that the coup occurred as a result of an already-failing democratic transition. Morsi’s presidency had met neither the aspirations of Egyptians who had demanded revolutionary change, nor the standards of democratic governance he claimed to represent. ‘Rethinking the Tuareg Factor in the Mali Crisis’ argues that, beyond the sometimes naïve simplification of the issues at hand, the Tuareg Factor in the on-going crisis in Mali and any attempts to frame ways out of the crisis need to be understood within a historical trajectory that takes into consideration three key parameters. ‘Inter-ethnic Conflict in South Sudan: A Challenge to Peace’ seeks to examine the impact of ethnic conflicts on peace efforts in South Sudan. It argues that the seething inter-ethnic clashes are serious constraints and a source of threat that stands to obfuscate South Sudan’s successful transition to sustainable and effective post conflict recovery and long-term peace building. In ‘Exploring the Nexus between Ethnicity and Terrorism in Africa’ the perception is that those monopolising political power (and, therefore, state resources) often belong to a particular ethnic, racial or religious identity. In ‘Celebrating Nelson Mandela’s Legacy: A Colloquium on Diversity, Cohesion and Integration’ there is no better way of describing South Africa’s past, present and future, as it wrestles with its hold on diversity, social cohesion and integration. In ‘Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment through Political Parties: Africa’s Record in Democracy-building’ the history of political parties in Africa is briefly addressed, after which the participation, particularly of women, in political parties as they contribute to the democratisation process, is examined. In ‘Decentralising Liberia’s Security Sector: The Role of Non-governmental Actors in Justice and Security Delivery’ recognising the role of NGOs opens up a space for better and more realistic planning and coordination between government structures and NGOs, to ensure that essential gaps in security and justice delivery are filled and duplication avoided.
