Why isn’t Tech for Accountability Working in Africa?

Expanding mobile networks and falling costs could transform communication between African citizens and governments. So far, however, attempts to harness new technologies to improve transparency and accountability in Africa and elsewhere have had disappointing results.

Resource Extraction and Violent Extremism in Africa

Photo: flickr, Axel Fassio/CIFOR

Abundant natural resources, swathes of unprotected territory and porous borders make resource extraction an attractive source of wealth for opportunistic extremist groups in Africa – most notably al-Shabaab, the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and the Janjaweed militia.