Editor's note

It's rare among mammal species for fathers to be actively involved in caring for their young. Mountain gorillas are among those that buck the trend - they even care for infants that aren't their own. Stacy Rosenbaum explains why and how it ensures these males end up fathering more infants.

Algeria's grim revolutionary war, which started in 1954 and ended in 1962 when France granted the North African nation its independence, had an enormous influence on many thinkers and politicians. These included Nelson Mandela and Frantz Fanon. Charles Villet describes what the two men learned, and how their application of those lessons diverged.

The guns have largely fallen silent in Africa in recent times, though some pockets of the continent are still wracked by armed conflict. In a special collection of articles you may have missed, Alexander N Hasenstab outlines why aid workers need protection to continue their vital task of providing lifesaving assistance to people in conflict zones. Alexander Gilder, meanwhile, argues that using UN troops to make countries more stable can be a risky business. Lisa Otto says if African countries are really serious about maritime security, regional communities must implement the laudable strategies they have on paper. And Andrew Edward Tchie reflects on the latest agreement to end five years of fighting in South Sudan, Africa’s youngest state.

Moina Spooner

Commissioning Editor: East Africa

Top Stories

Some male gorillas regularly hold, play and groom infants. Frank Cornelissen/Shutterstock

The more male gorillas look after young, the more young they’re likely to have

Stacy Rosenbaum, University of California, Los Angeles

Male gorillas who spend more time with infants are expected to sire about 5 times more babies.

Umkhonto weSizwe founder Nelson Mandela, receives military training at an Algerian FLN camp in Morocco, 1962. South African History Online

What Mandela and Fanon learned from Algeria’s revolution in the 1950s

Charles Villet, Monash University

The Algerian revolution had a profound effect on both Mandela and Fanon's thinking about colonisation, oppression and freedom.

Peace + Security

Why aid workers, particularly local ones, need better protection

Alexander N Hasenstab, University of Portsmouth

The security of local aid agency workers on the front line hasn't been prioritised.

Why using UN troops to make countries more stable can be a risky business

Alexander Gilder, City, University of London

The UN promotes local ownership in peace building, which is difficult to achieve.

Why regional efforts are key to Africa’s maritime security

Lisa Otto, University of Johannesburg

If African countries and their regional bodies want to reap substantially from the blue economy, then it's time for the continent to invest heavily in securing its maritime resources.

Peace in South Sudan? Not without a stronger state and reconciliation

Andrew Edward Tchie, University of Essex

As pockets of conflict continue to destablise South Sudan, much hope has been placed on the most recent peace deal.

Science + Technology

Education

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