By the mid-1990s, it was clear to the world that Somalia had become Africa’s first failed post-colonial state. Yet this vast country of just 10 million people had had a glorious history before this calamity as the first to enjoy a democratic transfer of power in the 1960s. Is there any chance that the country can recreate its early successes? Abdi Ismail Samatar explains why the omens are bad unless two of the key drivers of the Somali disaster are understood – and acted on. The first is that the political and security order – which numerous foreign actors have been investing in – has produced marginal benefits for ordinary people. The second is the dominance of ethnic-based politics.

South Africa celebrates 27 years of its peaceful transition from a system of racial oppression to an inclusive constitutional democracy based on equality and the rule of law. This was a remarkable feat that involved the white minority relinquishing power and making way for majority rule. It was praised by many as being akin to a miracle. How is it faring, nearly 30 years on? Christi van der Westhuizen shares her insights into what’s become of the country’s 1994 “miracle” while Steven Friedman paints a disconcerting picture of how South Africa continues to be a nation of insiders and outsiders.

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