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Regional industrialisation and integration form part of the economic policy priorities of a number of countries in Southern Africa and of the Southern African Development Community (SADC). Manufacturing can be seen as a key driver of domestic and regional industrialisation and growth, given its ability to exhibit high backward and forward input-output linkages. While most input-output research for African countries explores domestic input-output linkages, this paper investigates inter-country intersectoral linkages among five Southern African countries for the years 2000 and 2015. We find that linkages tend to be highest in the manufacturing sector, particularly in 'food and beverages', across the countries in the study. We also find that the highest inter-country linkages are found between neighbouring countries. These findings suggest that regional growth may benefit from promoting manufacturing, especially agro-processing sectors. Regional integration may benefit from a specific focus on bilateral relationships between neighbouring countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The active participation in international organisations (IOs) is an important condition for the ability of states to exert influence over the content of international norms and rules. Thus, this paper adopts a comparative perspective and examines how active African states are in more than 500 international negotiations and under what conditions they are likely to remain silent. This reveals that diplomatic staff capacities are an essential precondition for active participation, while incentive structures, such as the scope of interests, impact how often states take the floor. An alternative to voicing national interest is to negotiate on behalf of regional organisations or regional groups. This paper shows that especially weaker and smaller African states benefit from regional group membership and use references to them in order to increase their leverage in international negotiations and improve, thereby, their chances to exert influence over the international architecture of rules and norms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review presents a comprehensive examination of recent advancements in utilizing multi-date satellite data to analyze spatial and temporal variations in seasonal and inter-annual surface water dynamics within arid environments of Africa. Remote sensing offers continuous, precise, and long-term datasets for surface water research. Various sensors with differing spatial resolutions are discussed, with high-resolution multispectral sensors providing superior spatial resolution but at higher costs. Conversely, dualsensor approaches, incuding optical sensors (Sentinel-2 and Landsat), radar satellites (Sentinel-1 and RADARSAT) and UAVs were investigated. The review further examines the efficiency and applicability of traditional algorithms such as the modified normalized difference water index (MNDWI), normalized difference water index (NDWI), and automated water extraction index (AWEI) in detecting and delineating surface water resources. Additionally, machine learning (ML) algorithms, including support vector machines (SVM), Random Forest (RF), deep learning and emerging methodologies like recurrent tranformer networks, have been explored. Therefore, we recommend that future research endeavours focus on leveraging high-resolution satellite imagery and integrating physical models with deep learning techniques, artificial intelligence, and online big data processing platforms to improve surface water mapping capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The burden of stroke is immense in African countries, with post-stroke care usually becoming the responsibility of family. This review sought to determine the current breadth and depth of qualitative evidence regarding the lived experiences of family caregivers of patients with stroke in Africa. Informed by Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology for scoping reviews, six databases were searched. Included articles were appraised for quality using the JBI checklist. A priori themes developed using the study objectives were used to synthesize study findings. The review included 22 articles, which outlined key patterns in stroke outcomes with most articles focused on rehabilitation and the experiences, outcomes, burdens, and coping mechanisms of caregiving. The intersectionality of socio-economic status, socio-political structures, and religious or traditional beliefs, attitudes, and practices characterized etiology beliefs, treatment trajectories of stroke, and caregiving role assignment. Whereas burdens were driven by limited resources, adopted coping strategies involved spiritual or religious beliefs, optimism, resilience, and social support networks. Family caregivers' values must be acknowledged, supported, and integrated into the traditional healthcare system to provide comprehensive stroke care. Caregivers' health and well-being should be given more attention given their necessary contribution to stroke survivorship in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the extensive empirical literature on aid effectiveness, existing studies have not addressed directly how political ideology affects the use of foreign aid in the recipient country. This study, therefore, uses a unique dataset of 12 democratic countries in Africa to investigate the impact of political ideologies on aid effectiveness. Our results indicate that each political party uses aid differently in peruse of their political, ideological orientation. Further analyses suggest that rightist capitalist parties are likely to use aid to improve the private sector environment. Leftist socialist on the other hand, use aid effectively on pro-poor projects such as short-term poverty reduction, mass education and health services. Our additional analysis on the lines of colonialisation shows that the difference in the use of aid by political parties is much stronger in French colonies than Britain colonies. The study provides insight on how the recipient government are likely to use foreign aid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to make a contribution to existing building blocks for a theory on the organisational interplay of international organisations. Thereby, the article first provides for a review of existing approaches on regime interaction which have contributed much to our understanding of organisational interplay by promoting concepts such as overlap and nestedness. Second, the article advances the idea of rational interplay based on resource dependencies. It is argued that interplay presupposes mutual resource dependencies to emerge and that resource exchange is governed by the principle of equitable exchange. Third, the consequences of organisational interplay are examined and an explanation is sought for the tendency of IOs to either develop niche capabilities or imitate other institutions. In this context the importance of institutional variance is highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In most African nations, the trumpet has sounded for joint-working, inter-agency working and multi-sectoral working. However, there are a number of lessons to be learned from collaborative schemes and initiatives that have been undertaken. In particular, attention needs to be drawn to the 'black box' where interactions between the diverse partners take place, irrespective of the 'package' the stakeholders hope to deliver to the targeted beneficiary population. The analysis of collaboration as a 'process' then becomes imperative. This paper describes collaboration and partnerships: their strategic levels, organization and structure, stage of development, membership capacities and effectiveness. Drawing on two examples of collaborative initiatives from South Africa, it identifies and analyses the challenges that face administrators and professionals involved in joint working efforts. Given the multiple facets that collectively contribute to a 'successful' collaboration, the paper suggests a framework for understanding partnership work. If health partnership schemes in Africa are to go beyond the rhetoric, many skills and diverse expertise need to be invested in multiple aspects of the efforts. The paper concludes that the presence, development and transfer of the necessary skills are needed for successful joint delivery of programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A survey of the roots and nature of conflicts in the Horn of Africa is offered to determine the extent and form of their cross-border or interregional dimensions. In southern Africa, up to the end of apartheid, most conflicts could be related to the struggle for liberation and the strategies of the apartheid government to resist change, even though these external promptings interacted with various internal cleavages. By contrast, almost all conflicts in the Horn of Africa since the 1970s could be said to have primarily internal origins, but they were amplified by a pattern of 'mutual intervention'. Each government sought to deal with its own internal conflicts by some degree of support for insurgencies in neighbouring states. This pattern was reversed by a brief period of detente from 1991-94, but then resumed and is likely to intensify with the current Ethiopia-Eritrea conflict. Considerations in promoting regional stability are explored, including in particular, the role of regional bodies in combining economic cooperation, peace making and security roles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The poultry population in Africa is mostly composed of local or indigenous chickens appreciated for the unique taste and texture of their meat. However, with the ever-increasing population growth, the free-range or backyard poultry farming system is no longer adapted to supply people with protein requirements. Crossbreeding local hens with an improved rooster weakens the thermotolerance and disease resistance of the offspring in African areas. In this context, the available breeds need to be preserved. The improvement of their productivity should be actualized through the implementation of a sustainable production programme that is simple and less expensive for the farmer, taking into account: feeding, habitat and chicken care. Scientific research should invest more time on the identification and characterization of all available breeds or chicken ecotypes allowing us to know production performances and their nutritional needs. Feeding with locally available resources, vaccination and use of indigenous medicine requiring training of farmers are essential perspectives. This paper focused on the productivity and resilience of indigenous chicken ecotypes in various African tropical environments and some essential factors to improve the birds. For this, a critical analysis was made based on the available data on the birds from research databases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Published play knowledge predominantly originates outside Africa. This review was undertaken to summarize sources on play originating from the continent of Africa. Objective: To locate and summarize sources on the use and value of play in human development and learning from the African continent. Material and method: Following the PRISMA Extension - Scoping Reviews guidelines, the initial search yielded 17,004 sources. Title and abstract screening identified 263 sources which were evaluated for eligibility namely; sources originating from the African continent, in any language, focussing on play as occupation. Results: A total of 127 sources were included; 76 qualitative, 28 quantitative and 23 mixed design sources; 100 from Southern Africa. Nine themes emerged: Who plays, why, where and how individuals play, intentional use of play, play and adult-related work skills, what is used in play, time/duration of play and barriers to play. Conclusions: Play was used effectively in human development and learning. Withholding play as a form of discipline, emphasized how adults and children valued play. Adults still loved playing. Safety concerns contributed to the reasons play occurred indoors more than outdoors, despite outdoor play being preferred. Significance: The review provides a reference for play as an occupation which may promote learning and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How do external actors promote regional international organisations (RIOs) through their regional foreign aid? Whereas most leading theories of regionalism stipulate that RIOs are designed and shaped by intra--r-egional actors from 'within', this study develops a novel framework for exploring donor involvement in RIOs during various stages of the foreign aid policy cycle. The research design is based on a comparison of the four largest European donors of regional foreign aid (EU, Germany, Sweden and the UK) towards the largest recipient in Africa (African Union). The comparative analysis reveals considerable variation and each donor employ their own distinct approach, which we conceptualise as Bully (EU), Overseer (UK), Micromanager (Germany) and Samaritan (Sweden). This comparative design enables us not only to escape the EU-centrism that currently distorts the research field but also to analyse the different ways by which European donors try to influence and even control RIOs in Africa through their foreign aid. The deep donor involvement in RIOs in Africa challenges us to rethink external intrusion, the meaning of ownership as well as conventional boundaries of 'inside'/'outside' in the study of regionalism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infant mental health is a new field in southern Africa. Some of its premises do not mesh neatly with local social forms and cultural precepts. Infant observation is a key element in the training of students in the only M. Phil programme on infant mental health in Africa. During training, students raised concerns about the model. Seminar discussions generated rich data about their efforts to secure an observational stance true to both the observational model and local relational practices. An anthropologist attended the seminars at which students reported on their weekly infant observations. Discussions were recorded and key themes identified. The anthropologist's 'second-order witnessing' enabled careful reflection on the experience of learning to be an observer and observed. The article considers the process of finding an observational stance both epistemologically and practically in the socio-centric worlds of southern Africa, and reflects on the experiences of being observed from the points of view of the caregivers and infants. It demonstrates that despite the model's presumption of distance, observers become significant persons in the life of the family. Through close attention to how received models settle in practice, we can derive important questions about epistemological conflicts and productive intersections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The field of International Political Economy (IPE) has changed considerably since the inception of the Review of International Political Economy (RIPE). This 30th anniversary editorial reflects on how these changes have impacted the journal's publications over the past ten years. Some trends are promising. RIPE has become more gender inclusive, as the share of women authors in submissions and publications has risen. RIPE has also resisted the 'quantitative' focus inherent within other political science/international relations journals, continuing to publish articles that demonstrate diverse qualitative methodologies (particularly case studies). Some trends are less encouraging. RIPE has struggled to move beyond its Anglo-American base, resulting in a paucity of published authors from institutions within the Global South, and limited articles that exclusively focus on IPE phenomena in Africa, the Middle East and Latin America (although Global South countries feature more heavily within trans-regional studies published by the journal, and have similar levels of coverage as the Global North). We conclude by introducing the RIPE 30th Anniversary Special Feature, a series of contributions by early career and emerging researchers reflecting on the history and future directions of the field of IPE. In commemorating RIPE's 30th anniversary by opening - and continuing to open – its pages to new authors we seek to continue a long tradition and reaffirm the journal's commitment to heterodoxy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Luffa cylindrica fibre (also known as sponge gourd) is widely available in major parts of Asia and Africa because it is a good source of cellulose fibre. The fibre is cheap, available free in nature, possesses excellent composition and will provide a sustainable fibre reinforced cementitious composite for various applications. Studies and published articles on its use are found in other non-cement based areas but little or no review has been performed on its relevance to cement composites. This is because it is an emerging field of study with limited information on what the fibre is all about. This review gives a compendium of the limited available concluded studies on the use of luffa cylindrical fibre as reinforcement in different cement based matrices. Therefore, the major highlights reviewed included its source, physical, chemical and mechanical compositions, pre-treatment methods, drying shrinkage, compressive and flexural strengths and microstructural analysis of the cement composites. This review was able to establish the important role it played in improving some of these earlier listed properties of the cementitious materials considered. However, further studies in the future are needed to be able to establish some parameters which will aid its adoption in cement based medium such as appropriate treatment methods, optimum content, effective reinforcement form or type (dispersed type or fabric/lay up mat form) and durability studies. It is desired that through this review, interest in the use of luffa cylindrical fibre as an important cellulose fibre for reinforcement in cement based materials will be kindled. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regional organisations (ROs) are increasingly important actors in managing regional and intrastate threats to peace and security, especially in Africa. The article introduces the Regional Organisations Security Activity Dataset for Africa (ROSADA), which encompasses military and non-military peace and security activities by all 24 ROs in Africa (1997-2016). Bridging the literature on comparative regionalism and international conflict management, ROSADA offers new insights into a broad spectrum of conflict management tasks such as mediation, sanctions, capacity building and military operations. The analysis indicates a considerable variation over time between different regions and subregions, and these activities are interconnected. ROSADA's broad conventionalisation of peace and security activities contributes to the analysis of complex regional engagement in peace and security affairs, especially concerning preventive measures and post-conflict peacebuilding. By using established coding standards and including detailed raw data, ROSADA is useful for a wide set of research agendas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Telecentres- places where people can pay for the use of devices such as telephones, fax machines, and computers- are currently opening throughout Africa. They are seen as providing a much needed communications infrastructure to a continent poorly supplied by telecomunication facilities (Acacia 1997). Heather Schreiner outlines the obstacles to rural women gaining from this technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this investigation is to answer the crucial question of whether private military and security companies (PMSCs) affect conflict onset. It draws on the recently released Private Security Events Database, containing data on PMSC-related events across Latin America, Africa, and Southeast Asia. Employing a Cox Proportional Hazard model, the article explores whether the presence of PMSCs, the duration of PMSC presence, the type of service provided, and the number and type of clients affect conflict onset. Overall, the presence of PMSCs increases the likelihood of conflict onset, although its substantial effect was slight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores whether the use of imported intermediates has a moderating impact on the productivity effects of export market destinations using data from Ghanaian manufacturing firms over the period of 1991 to 2002. The results show that the use of imported inputs in the production process helps firms that export outside Africa alone to enhance productivity compared to non-exporting firms. In contrast, firms that export outside Africa alone, but do not use imported inputs in the production process have lower productivity compared to non-exporting firms. Policies that promote trade in intermediate inputs across borders can help to enhance productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa, has reported relatively high levels of alcohol misuse, yet limited resources to guide effective population-wide response. There is a need to integrate existing empirical information in order to increase the power and precision of estimating epidemiological evidence necessary for informing policies and developing prevention programs. Objectives: We aimed to estimate nationwide and zonal prevalence of harmful use of alcohol in Nigeria to inform public health policy and planning. Methods: Epidemiologic reports on alcohol use in Nigeria from 1990 through 2018 were systematically searched and abstracted. We employed random-effects meta-analysis and meta-regression model to determine the number of harmful alcohol users. Results: 35 studies (n = 37,576 Nigerians) were identified. Pooled crude prevalence of harmful use of alcohol was 34.3% (95% CI: 28.6-40.1); twice as high among men (43.9%, 31.1-56.8) compared to women (23.9%, 16.4-31.4). Harmful alcohol use was higher in rural settings (40.1%, 24.2-56.1) compared to urban settings (31.2%, 22.9-39.6). The number of harmful alcohol users aged ≥15 years increased from 24 to 34 million from 1995 to 2015. However, actual age-adjusted prevalence of harmful use of alcohol in Nigeria decreased from 38.5% to 32.6% over the twenty-year period. Conclusions: While the prevalence of the total population that drinks harmfully appears to be dropping, absolute number of individuals that would be classified as harmful drinkers is increasing. This finding highlights the complexity of identifying and advocating for substance abuse policies in rapidly changing demographic settings common in Africa, Asia, and other developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cardiometabolic disease is associated with chronic low-grade inflammation. While low birthweight, childhood stunting and rapid weight gain predict higher adult high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) concentrations, associations between childhood infections and adulthood CRP are inconsistent. Aim: To assess the associations between sanitation, diarrhoea and a combined score of both from birth to age 2 years and hs-CRP at age 18 years, independently of early life nutrition and adult adiposity. Subjects and methods: This study collected data on sanitation and diarrhoea episodes from birth to 2 years on 756 participants of the Birth-to-Twenty Plus cohort, a birth cohort initiated in South Africa in 1990, and calculated a combined score of both variables. Anthropometry was measured at 2 years and 18 years and hs-CRP at 18 years. Results: Of the participants, 29.5% had no access to indoor flush sanitation and 38.2% experienced ≥1 diarrhoea episode between birth and 2 years. Not having access to indoor flush sanitation and experiencing ≥1 diarrhoea episodes were associated with 1.50 mg/L and 1.52 mg/L higher hs-CRP, respectively. Prevalence of both burdens in infancy was associated with a 2.18 mg/L higher hs-CRP. Conclusion: In this population, poor sanitation and diarrhoea in early life predict elevated CRP in young adulthood, independently of early life nutrition and adiposity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing from a discussion of the importance of placing Italian culture in transnational perspective, this article addresses the representation of the Italian presence in East Africa during the colonial period and in the decades following the Second World War. It looks at the writings of Erminia Dell’Oro, Nicky Di Paolo and Gabriella Ghermandi. It argues that our ability to see these writings as a complex evocation of multi‐faceted material and psychic realities is enhanced if they are read in the light of recent theoretical work that has explored how the spectre of the past returns to trouble both individual consciousness and the collective imaginary. The article contends that by reading representations of the Italian presence in East Africa in this light we can gain a greater sense of how they attempt to represent the individual’s participation in some of the most deeply layered transnational social practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Violent extremism is a key issue on the regional security agenda in East Africa. However, our review of the relevant literature, complemented by original primary research, suggests that the evidentiary baseline regarding violent extremism in East Africa is modest. The existing literature focuses largely on Somalia and Kenya and serves to underscore that mobilization to extremist violence in the region is diverse. These findings have important implications for development actors seeking to advance "countering violent extremism" (or sometimes "preventing violent extremism") measures in East Africa. Those measures should be variegated across the states in the region. More generally, development actors seeking to advance countering violent extremism measures in East Africa or elsewhere should ensure that their approaches are evidence-based, responsive to the problems they are designed to address, proportional in light of existing development and security priorities, and effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Weak institutions, endemic market failures and low trust permeate the Tanzanian business environment. Nevertheless, some local enterprises overcome these challenges. Based on case studies of Tanzanian food processing enterprises, this paper identifies a number of coping strategies that contrasts markedly with the strategies traditionally emphasized by the strategic management literature: Instead of focus strategies, Tanzanian enterprises diversify; Instead of competitive strategies, Tanzanian enterprises adopt network strategies; And instead of internationalizing based on strengths, Tanzanian enterprises internationalize to overcome weaknesses. The paper traces these strategies back to specificities of the Tanzanian institutional environment and discusses implications for the strategic management literature. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article presents information on international serials and electronic resource management which includes library schools, continuing education and library-orientated organizations. The article also discusses the awards and grants given by EBSCO Information Services and the recommendations provided by the National Information Standards Organization (NISO).

Forests in Africa support the livelihoods of millions of people through provision of timber and non-timber forest products, food and nutrition, energy and payment of environmental services. However, mismanagement of forests has resulted in deforestation and forest degradation, thereby contributing to the increased emission of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. This special issue highlights some of the research outcomes presented at a pre-congress workshop organised by the African Forest Forum and partners at the 2015 World Forestry Congress. In this issue, the main drivers of land degradation are highlightedvis-à-vispopulation growth, agricultural expansion, climate variability, drought and energy needs. Promising traditional management practices are identified including age-old farmer-managed natural regeneration and exclosures. In addition, research presented indicates that age-old systems such as native non-browse shrubs in Ethiopia are important in that they facilitate regeneration of late-successional tree species. Furthermore, opportunities for using forests to mitigate climate change are highlighted with a case study on the economics associated with carbon markets. The issue also highlights the methodological challenges of quantifying carbon in African forests. The effect of climate change on threatened forest species and biodiversity in general is discussed, and the associated human disturbances impacting on the population structure of a threatened species, e.g.Afzelia africanain West Africa, is presented. The important role of non-timber forest products in income generation for the rural communities and the associated challenges of commercialisation is emphasised with examples from two important tree species: shea (Vitellaria paradoxa) and baobab (Adansonia digitata). Finally, the issue covers a people-centred approach in tree planting and management where studies demonstrated that there are still problems of poor participation of local communities due to poor implementation of enabling policies, lack of involvement in initial planning and subsequent lack of clear benefit-sharing mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's involvement in Africa has caused much debate. The increasing presence in Africa has drawn mixed reactions from the academic and media platforms. It has been argued that China is sapping Africa's manufacturing potential and also extracting Africa's resources without any significant benefits to Africa. Thus China is seen as a contributor to Africa's underdevelopment and deindustrialization. However, some have seen China as Africa's partner for development. They see China's presence in Africa as beneficial to China and Africa. As a result, there is no settled opinion as to whether China's increasing presence in Africa is sustainable to Africa or whether the relationship is unsustainable. Although the relations between China and Africa are widely covered in the media, empirically the area has been underresearched. This article, therefore, contributes to literature by surveying the major political and economic issues around the China-Africa relations. The article considers several issues relevant to the China-Africa relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the structure and modulation of the mean diurnal climate of Africa with a focus on satellite rainfall. Solar heating over tropical mountains and land-sea temperature gradients initiate moisture convergence in the afternoon-evening. The diurnal temperature range is from 5 °C along the coast to 20 °C in arid zones with low vegetation fraction. NCEP2 reanalysis reveals the diurnal circulation via continental-scale drainage and seabreeze flows. Factors modulating the diurnal cycle vary across four sub-regions: South Africa, East Congo, Ethiopia, and Guinea. In the Congo and Guinea coast the surface moisture and heat fluxes are important, while in South Africa convective available potential energy and vertical motion are influential. Ethiopia’s evening orographic convection is out of phase with surface fluxes. The diurnal residual calculated from NCEP2 fields exhibits a 2 km depth for thermal gradients and 200 km inland penetration of onshore flow by evening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study develops a day-to-day theory of political violence that predicts that rebels respond strategically to the onset of interstate conflict that is directly related to a civil war. Government-initiated interstate conflict is theorized to incentivize rebels to signal their resolve, willingness to bear costs, and vulnerability of government forces. In addition, this form of interstate conflict is predicted to decrease violence against civilian populations, as it makes it more likely that rebels will need to rely on civilians for resources in the future. This is contrary to interstate conflict initiated by an external state, as this signal of third-party support makes civilian support more dispensable from the perspective of a rebel movement. Using a country-day data set constructed from event data, evidence is presented that is consistent with this theoretical logic. Interstate conflict, therefore, is shown to play a significant role in explaining the variation of violent events that occur on a day-to-day basis during a civil conflict. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades many regional inter-governmental organizations have adopted agreements committing all member states to maintain democratic governments, and specifying punishments to be levied against member states that revert to authoritarianism. These treaties have a surprisingly high enforcement rate – nearly all states subject to them that have experienced governmental succession by coup have been suspended by the relevant IGO(s). However, relatively little is known about whether these treaties are deterring coups. This article offers an original theory of how these international agreements could deter coups d’état, focusing on the way that a predictably adverse international reaction complicates the incentives of potential coup participants. An analysis of the likelihood of coups for the period of 1991–2008 shows that states subject to democracy were on average less likely to experience coups, but that this finding was not statistically significant in most models. However, when restricting the analysis to democracies, middle-income states with democracy clauses were significantly less likely to experience coup attempts. Moreover, the African democracy regime appears to be particularly effective, significantly reducing the likelihood of coup attempts for middle-income states regardless of regime type. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

China has long adhered to a principle of ‘non-interference’ in other states’ affairs. However, as more of its companies have been investing in projects overseas, and millions of its nationals are travelling abroad, Beijing is finding itself progressively involved in other countries – through the need to protect these interests and citizens. During the turmoil of the Arab Spring in 2011, China was compelled to evacuate more than 35,000 Chinese workers and expatriates from Libya, and later it led the hunt for the killers of 13 Chinese sailors in the Golden Triangle region of the Mekong River. In 2015, Beijing sent a combat battalion to join the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan, where it has huge oil ventures. Its plans to construct a New Silk Road will mean new commercial endeavours to protect in Pakistan. The shift in Chinese foreign policy towards a more interventionist approach abroad has not been the result of grand strategy, but an adjustment to unfolding events. The large risk appetite of state-owned Chinese business is inexorably drawing the Chinese state into security hotspots, and as China becomes a great power its people are openly calling on their government to protect compatriots caught in crises overseas, including via military means. While much attention has focused on Beijing's increasingly assertive behaviour in disputed Asian seas, this book highlights another equally important area of change, with potentially far-reaching consequences for international security. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article analyses the ways in which African countries are grappling with the problem of electoral violence. It argues that, although electoral violence has posed a serious challenge to democratic consolidation and peace in Africa, knowledge of how to prevent and or manage it is largely inadequate. Much of the academic interest in electoral violence has focused on defining the phenomenon, particularly analysing its causes, scope, patterns and consequences. This article examines the measures adopted by Ethiopia, Kenya and Nigeria to manage electoral violence. The specific measures analysed in this study include: (1) establishment of commissions of inquiry; (2) mediation in high-tension situations; and (3) regulation of political activities. While these measures represent significant efforts to curb electoral violence in Africa, they do not, of course, directly address the underlying causes of the problem. Electoral violence will continue to pose serious challenges to democracy and peace in Africa until the lingering socio-economic and political tensions and the lack of credibility of the electoral process in many African countries are addressed; however, in the meantime, to save lives, it is worth putting into place effective deterrents to election violence wherever it threatens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article formulates the conceptual framework for a special issue on Africa's evolving security architecture. It argues that security governance in Africa can be understood as an emerging regime complex that is characterized by partially converging actors such as the United Nations, European Union, African Union, African Regional Economic Communities, and single lead nations. Center stage is the analysis of converging security policies. We distinguish between five convergence types that vary in terms of depth and efficacy. Theoretically the special issue makes a contribution to theory building on regime complexes and international organizations interplay by developing a theoretical typology. This introductory article primarily serves to introduce concepts and categories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides a cumulative overview of all cases presented in this special issue. In particular, we aim at exploring different convergence types and their depth as well as their consequences for regime efficacy. A cross-case analysis reveals reoccurring patterns: On average convergence is more often conceptual, technical, and formal than political or behavioral. It is also more often cosmetic or partial than extensive or full and in most cases impacts on efficacy only moderately. These mediocre results might best be explained by a combination of rational and social purpose prediction as proposed in the introductory chapter. While actors are aiming to extend their cooperation among one another, they at the same time aim at retaining their institutional autonomy, leading to processes of mediocre convergence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Approximately 10 million people need palliative care for life-limiting illnesses across Africa. Although non-communicable diseases are significant sources of morbidity and mortality globally, in Sub-Saharan Africa infectious diseases constitute the major disease burden, with HIV/AIDS its primary determinant. Despite this need, and the progress made in advancing service provision, palliative care coverage on the continent remains deficient. Following the World Health Organization's enhanced public health approach, palliative care providers on the continent have used the modality of home-based care. Central to this home-based palliative care are family carers. Against a backdrop of eroding extended kinship and community structures, a result of a combination of modernization and the demographic impact of HIV/AIDS, the normative, moral, and economic fabric that previously bound together the extended family is disentangling, rendering the assumption that, in African caring systems the capacity of the extended family to withstand crises is inexhaustible, baseless. Given the engendered nature of care provision in Africa, the primary burden of caring for the ill traditionally falls on women, especially the old and young. These family caregivers face multiple challenges, including limited knowledge and caring skills, the costs of caring, stress and burnout, care burden, the challenges and support for caregivers, and HIV-related stigma and discrimination. The article concludes by suggesting a number of ways by which familial care giving and research on the continent can be improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study analyzes summertime lightning incidence data across northern tropical Africa from the TRMM satellite sensor during 1998-2011. It uses harmonic analyses to detect the spatial patterns in diurnal variations of lightning activity across the study area. The results are in conformity with previous studies examining diurnal patterns of convective weather processes in this region, with most lightning activity concentrated over land areas. The peak time of lightning activity over most of the study area was during late afternoon hours, from around 1700 to 1900 local standard time. The peak time of lightning activity was observed during early morning hours in some coastal areas, such as Cameroon, which can be a result of local-level convergence between the land and sea breeze. A general progression in the time of lightning activity from late afternoon to early evening hours was observed throughout the interior of the study area, which may be attributed to land-surface heating and associated mesoscale convective systems, and to upper-level circulation in the form of the African Easterly Jet Stream. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of the frontier has often been used to account for the rise of Africa in international relations and the world economy over the past decade. It is argued that, from a more general standpoint, the association of the frontier with a diversity of interpretations offers a useful tool to monitor the narratives, policies and trajectories associated with the African continent since the end of the Cold War. The article first examines Africa's international relations through the metaphors of a ‘distant abroad’ and a ‘significant other’, before discussing the notions of a new frontier and a global interface. In the latter case, the concept helps to make sense of critical issues and transitions. It is argued that the current revival of interest in Africa is associated with two broad scenarios for the continent: on the one hand, the deepening of Africa's insertion within the world economy through increasing dependency on commodities; on the other, a pattern of innovative policy-initatives and processes that offer a contemporary expression of the emerging economies paradigm. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper reviews the literature concerning the ethnobotany, phytochemistry, and pharmacology of Mondia whitei, which is also known as Mondia whytei, African ginger or simply as mondia. Mondia is used in many parts of Africa as a traditional remedy to improve appetite and libido, as a galactagogue, as a fertility medication, and as an antidepressant. In African countries, where it is used medicinally, the most commonly cited use is as an aphrodisiac. The scientific studies reviewed in this report employed either in vivo rodent models or isolated organ techniques, and therefore the results cannot be directly extrapolated to humans. Nevertheless, these studies provide scientific evidence that support the traditional uses of mondia as an aphrodisiac and an antidepressant. Based on the safety data available in the literature, mondia is reasonably expected to be safe when prepared and used according to traditional practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Citizens of the three East African countries Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda differ much in their expressed support for the political opposition and in their trust in the ruling political institutions of the president, the electoral commission and the ruling party. Citizens in Uganda and Kenya have become more sceptical towards their ruling institutions, while citizens in Tanzania are still very trusting and express much stronger deferential values than is the case in the other two countries, even though Tanzanians have experienced less of democratic changes. How can this difference be explained, and to what extent is democracy being institutionalized in the three countries? Using Afrobarometer data it is shown that democratic constitutional values are an important reason for supporting the opposition in Kenya, but much less so in Uganda and Tanzania. In Kenya, democratic constitutional values are negatively related to support for the ruling institutions, while in Tanzania, the same values strengthen support for the government. A positive evaluation of democratic procedures and government output explains much of the support for the ruling institutions, while a perceived high level of corruption and a low estimation of delivered democratic procedures lend support to the opposition. Kenya appears to have reached a more advanced democratic awareness than the other two countries. While some important democratic institutions have taken root in the three countries, there is still a long way to go before the region has attained stable democracy. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In a bid to determine the relationship of ethnicity, maternal height and shoe size as predictors of cephalopelvic disproportion, we conducted a prospective comparative study of primigravidas at term with singleton pregnancies, who had undergone spontaneous labour. A total of 208 primigravidas were studied; 151 (62.9%) achieved vaginal delivery and 57 (37.1%) had emergency caesarean section for failure-to-progress. We found a statistically significant positive correlation between maternal height and vaginal delivery ( p == 0.04), but no correlation with maternal shoe size was found ( p == 0.24). This study also showed that Caucasian women were significantly more than twice as likely to achieve vaginal delivery compared with Africans ( p == 0.02). Maternal height of at least 162.5 cm, has a sensitivity of 74% and a specificity of 43% for predicting vaginal delivery. We concluded that the most predictive anthropometric measurement for vaginal delivery is maternal height. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When is the rigorous impact evaluation of development projects a luxury, and when a necessity? The authors study one high-profile case: the Millennium Villages Project (MVP), an experimental and intensive package intervention to spark sustained local economic development in rural Africa. They illustrate the benefits of rigorous impact evaluation in this setting by showing that estimates of the project's effects depend heavily on the evaluation method. Comparing trends at the MVP intervention sites in Kenya, Ghana, and Nigeria with trends in the surrounding areas yields much more modest estimates of the project's effects than the before-versus-after comparisons published thus far by the MVP. Neither approach constitutes a rigorous impact evaluation of the MVP, which is impossible to perform due to weaknesses in the evaluation design of the project's initial phase. These weaknesses include the subjective choice of intervention sites, the subjective choice of comparison sites, the lack of baseline data on comparison sites, the small sample size, and the short time horizon. The authors describe one of many ways that the next wave of the intervention could be designed to allow proper evaluation of the MVP's impact at little additional cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the United Nations is the main human rights norm-creator for Africa, the Organisation of African Unity/African Union has 'appropriated' many of these standards in treaties of its own. In as far as these treaties deviate from a global consensus, they do so to ensure greater normative legitimacy in the African context. The institutions created under AU human rights treaties - especially the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights - have shown themselves as relatively effective in promoting and protecting human rights. While the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights was added by way of a subsequent redesign of the system, its potential has remained largely unexplored. In addition, the emergence of subregional courts as fora to provide relief to victims of human rights has opened the door for competition and forum shopping. These developments have often been initiated and steered by civil society organisations and subregional judicial institutions rather than member states of international organisations. Much can still be done to strengthen and extend complementarity between international organisations in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ahead of the 'African Conference of the Parties' (COP) scheduled to take place in Durban in November 2011, the ability to maintain an African common position will be paramount in providing a platform from which to pursue the continent's priorities on climate change. This article considers the role of international organisations in shaping the Africa Group's common position from COP15 in Copenhagen ahead of Durban. In addressing this role the analysis considers the position of the African Union and the regional economic communities, as well as the challenges facing the African Union from nested international organisation interests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Hooded Vulture Necrosyrtes monachus is not currently listed on the IUCN Red List of threatened species, yet recent email discussions amongst a group of African raptor experts suggests this species may be in rapid decline. Information was solicited from raptor experts, as well as from published and unpublished reports, bird atlases, and individual sightings. No data was obtained for 8% of countries where the Hooded Vulture occurs and the value of the data obtained for the remaining countries varied widely in quality. Despite the variation in data quality, trends from each African region suggest dramatic population declines (mean 62%; range 45–77%) over the past 40–50 years. Some declines were documented in 20 years or less, indicating declines might be occurring rapidly in some areas. The major threats include poisoning, illegal trade for traditional medicine and bushmeat, and persecution. Based on quantitative rates of declines for each region, a revised population estimate for the species is a maximum of 197 000 individuals. We recommend that the Hooded Vulture is uplisted to Endangered under the IUCN Red List criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on emerging patterns of inter-organizational cooperation in peacekeeping missions in Africa - between the United Nations, the African Union and the European Union. The overwhelming majority of current operations build on some kind of inter-organizational arrangements. At least three forms of cooperation have emerged on the continent, of which sequential, parallel and integrated deployment of troops are the dominant forms. Based on rational and sociological institutionalist approaches, the article explains the selection of cooperation types by international organizations, by exploring the conditions that trigger the selection of a certain form of cooperation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The African mole-rats of the family Bathyergidae are an excellent model group of mammals for undertaking physiological research. The wide spectrum of social organizations, coupled with their underground lifestyles, make this unique family ideal for studies that embrace broad principles in physiology. Here I present an overview of past and ongoing research into the energetics, locomotory activity patterns, pineal melatonin function and reproductive physiology of these fascinating subterranean mammals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children are increasingly expected to grow up global yet their worldwide inequality is understudied; while countries' incomes may be converging, it is unclear whether children's outcomes also do. This paper investigates the recent trends in global inequality among children. Findings show a fall in resource inequality, driven by Asia's exponential economic growth and Africa's slowing fertility trends. Paradoxically, this resource convergence occurred alongside divergence in infant mortality. Such findings have three implications. First, they caution against assuming automatic convergence in children's well-being in response to income convergence between nations. Second, they illustrate how national differences in age dependency account for global inequality among children. Third and more broadly, they stress the importance of demographic and policy - in addition to economic - convergence in bridging substantive inequality among the world's children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article investigates whether there is an association between a trajectory of political liberalization, democratization, and military interventions. In what is arguably the 'least likely case' region in the world, this study analyzes the experience of 55 regimes in Africa between 1990 and 2004 and finds a striking regularity. Liberalizing, and in particular democratic, regimes have a significantly different track record of being subjected either to successful or failed military interventions. The analysis suggests that democratic regimes are about 7.5 times less likely to be subjected to attempted military interventions than electoral authoritarian regimes and almost 18 times less likely to be victims of actual regime breakdown as a result. Through an additional case study analysis of the 'anomalous' cases of interventions in democratic polities, the results are largely strengthened as most of the stories behind the numbers suggests that it is only when democratic regimes perform dismally and/or do not pay soldiers their salaries that they are at great risk of being overthrown. Legitimacy accrued by political liberalization seems to 'inoculate' states against military intervention in the political realm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Livelihood diversification is essential to food security and improved incomes for human development in African rural communities. Uganda's agrarian economy suffers from limited diversification, environmental degradation, low incomes, and multifaceted negative impacts of AIDS. Efforts to stimulate and support innovation in agricultural production technology, forms of social organization, and poor markets are essential elements in promotion of sustainable rural livelihoods. Iowa State University's Center for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods and its partner organizations are applying a multi-dimensional approach to engage Uganda farmers and rural leaders in community-based learning and capability strengthening. We describe the role played by livelihood diversification and explore the promotion of sustainable livelihoods through scholarship with praxis. Sustainable livelihoods concepts are examined as a means to better understand contemporary African rural development. We identify principles and processes critical to achieving sustainable livelihoods. Their application is highlighted based on our early collaborative experience, including a discussion of the complexities associated with entering into balanced partnerships required for a successful community-based program. We explore the value of social science perspectives and processes for strengthening rural development in developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colonial efforts to develop irrigation in African colonies aimed to improve the colonies' productive capacity. The resulting systems, including Gezira (British Sudan), Office du Niger (French Sudan) and the French systems in Northern Africa, have many characteristics of an imposed factory-based production regime. A factory resemblance is reflected in the mathematical layout of the systems when possible: canals are straight and plots are square. This approach coincides with the general European opinion that Africa had no history; Africa (with the exception of Egypt) was perceived as an empty continent. In the African colonies, economic opportunities were obviously an important element of the discourse. It was ideologies of creating new social and geographical landscapes, however, bringing order in the wildness by filling the empty African landscape with modern irrigation facilities, that were dominating the colonial irrigation discourses and practices in African colonies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]