Latest Opinions
Could old alliances bridge West Africa’s security cooperation gaps?
By: ISS, Institute for Security Studies 24th July 2025 The politically neutral Conseil de l’Entente could revive urgently needed security partnerships among Sahel and coastal states. Security and... →
South Africa’s police serve the ANC insiders, not the people: here’s how it happened
23rd July 2025 After South Africa’s first democratic elections in 1994, there was significant optimism about police reform in the country. Impressive steps were... →
Ghana’s security strategy has kept terror attacks at bay: what other countries can learn from its approach
23rd July 2025 Ghana stands out in west Africa as a nation that has not experienced terrorist attacks, even though it’s geographically close to countries that... →
Mali, Mauritania and Senegal must unite against cross-border terrorism
By: ISS, Institute for Security Studies 23rd July 2025 The threat of a terrorist blockade of Mali’s Kayes and Nioro towns would be disastrous for all three countries. Western Mali, bordering Mauritania... →
Johannesburg’s creative hubs are booming: how artists are rejuvenating a failing inner city
22nd July 2025 Johannesburg is weathering a storm of crises. Nowhere is its complex tangle of challenges more visible than in the inner city, where crime,... →
Africa’s minerals are being bartered for security: why it’s a bad idea
22nd July 2025 A US-brokered peace deal between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda binds the two African nations to a worrying arrangement: one... →
South Africa and Nigeria need opposite approaches to their informal sectors
By: ISS, Institute for Security Studies 22nd July 2025 Governments should harness the potential of informality as a bridge rather than a barrier to building economic resilience. Nigeria and South Africa... →
Getting a grip on the informal sector
22nd July 2025 The outgoing Capitec CEO, Gerrie Fourie, generated quite a debate on measuring the informal sector and unemployment in South Africa. I paid a visit... →
South African university programmes to support black students aren’t working. What needs to be done
21st July 2025 Most universities and colleges have formal and informal programmes and initiatives to support student and staff development. Their goal is to... →
East African countries and open borders: great strides, but still a long way to go
21st July 2025 It’s not uncommon to find a Ugandan taxi driver in Rwanda’s capital, Kigali, just as one regularly meets Zimbabwean Uber drivers in South Africa.... →
