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Archival materials are repeatedly consulted to settle disputes before the courts of law. The main purpose of the paper is to examine the use of archival materials in the ultimate settlement of the border dispute between Botswana and Namibia over the disputed ownership of the Sedudu/Kasikili Island. This paper took a qualitative approach where documentary review of archival materials and other documentary sources were used to answer the research questions. The findings indicate that archival materials in their various forms such as drawings, maps, plans, reports, scientific documents, and correspondence by colonial authorities played a significant role as evidence that informed the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to legally settle the boundary dispute between Botswana and Namibia. This paper also established the need for archivists to preserve the reliability and authenticity of records over time for them to be trusted as evidence. The fact that the case was solved with access to archival materials among other evidence presented, is an indication of the importance of archives in the society. Although this paper contributes to literature on the role of archives in the resolution of boundary conflicts, it is limited in that the findings are restricted to a review of archival materials in the holdings of the Botswana National Archives and Records Service (BNARS) exclusive of archival materials from the National Archives of Namibia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) heralded a dreadful global disaster that had a collateral effect on many businesses. It affected people, information, and global economies. However, its impact on public records and archives management is under-researched in Africa, particularly in The Gambia. Hence, the purpose of this study was to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on public records and archives management in The Gambia. Adopted for the survey is pragmatic research paradigm, which employs mixed methods using a purposive sample of 65, constituting 31% of a population of 211, comprising heads of Public Records and Archives staff and National Records Advisory Committee members. The ISO 31000:2018 Risk Assessment tool was employed as the theoretical framework. A questionnaire and telephone-based interview were administered to collect data. Quantitative data was analysed descriptively using IBM Statistical Packages for Social Science (IBM SPSS), while qualitative data was analysed based on the study objectives. The research shows that a significant minority confirmed information leakage during the COVID-19 pandemic, primarily through social media, phone, and email. Most records and archives are in physical format, as established by 59.1% of respondents. The records sector responded poorly due to inadequate capacity, emergency policies, and interventions. Most respondents claimed a lack a disaster plan, with 67.7% of respondents finding it ineffective in mitigating COVID-19's impact on records and archives, and 82.4% confirming inadequate documentation during the pandemic. Although the COVID-19 pandemic has moderately impacted Public Records and Archives Management in The Gambia, with staff being protected more than information, the effect severely affected archival services. The study recommends robust risk plans, digitalisation, professional capacity building, adequate resources, effective monitoring, and decentralisation, among others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]