Governance in Africa

The report analyzes Africa's unique governance trajectory, noting that the territorial state was a late colonial imposition. It details how slavery and the Cold War hindered state formation and discusses the subsequent waves of democratisation, highlighting a significant gap between electoral and liberal democracy on the continent.

• The modern territorial state in Africa was not an organic development but a late colonial imposition during the 19th and 20th centuries, contrasting with the fluid, tribe-based social organisations and male gerontocracies that previously characterized much of sub-Saharan Africa.
• Slavery had a destructive impact on African governance; between 11 million and 17 million people were transported during the Arab slave trade, and 12.5 million were shipped to North America, leading to population stagnation and hindered progress in security and inclusion.
• The end of the Cold War in 1989 provided a 'peace dividend' that reduced conflict and improved democracy, as African states were no longer held hostage by a bipolar world order that rewarded loyalty over effective governance.
• There is a pronounced gap in Africa between electoral democracy (nominal) and liberal democracy (substantive), which the author attributes to low quality of democracy, poverty, and limited institutional capacity.
• Democratisation in Africa was often driven by external pressures rather than internal demand, with leaders accepting political liberalisation in exchange for debt forgiveness and aid during the mid-1980s structural adjustment period.
• While Western partners promote liberal democracy as a prerequisite for development, the document argues that economic transformation may instead require a 'developmental state' with committed leaders and capacity, and questions whether democracy can compensate for lack of stability.
• Unlike traditional sequential state-building, Africa is experiencing simultaneous transitions in security, capacity, and inclusion, often resulting in 'early democratisation' where democracy levels are higher than other regions with similar income and education levels.

APA

Cilliers, J. (2026). Governance in Africa. Institute for Security Studies. https://futures.issafrica.org/thematic/guide.pdf?thematic=12-governance&topic=02-governance-in-africa

Chicago

Cilliers, Jakkie. Governance in Africa. Institute for Security Studies, 2026. https://futures.issafrica.org/thematic/guide.pdf?thematic=12-governance&topic=02-governance-in-africa.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Cilliers |first1=Jakkie |title=Governance in Africa |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=15 June 2026 |url=https://futures.issafrica.org/thematic/guide.pdf?thematic=12-governance&topic=02-governance-in-africa |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{cilliers2026governance, author = {Cilliers, Jakkie}, title = {{Governance in Africa}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2026}, month = jun, url = {https://futures.issafrica.org/thematic/guide.pdf?thematic=12-governance&topic=02-governance-in-africa}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }