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A report on a 2008 seminar discussing the political split within the African National Congress (ANC) and its implications for South African democracy, featuring perspectives on leadership failures, ideological contradictions, and the socio-political state of the youth.

The Institute for Security Studies announced the launch of a web portal for the African Conference of Commandants (ACoC) on 23 October 2008. The ACoC seeks to enhance cooperation and standardization among African military staff colleges to support the African Standby Force and Peace and Support Operations. The ISS's Security Sector Governance programme serves as the ACoC Secretariat and maintains the website.

This report documents a validation workshop held on October 21, 2008, in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, regarding the status of environmental crime in the country. The workshop was part of the Environmental Crime Project (ECP), implemented by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) in partnership with the Eastern Africa Police Chiefs Cooperation Organization (EAPCCO). The document outlines the current environmental legal framework, identifies critical gaps in existing research, details specific types of environmental crimes affecting Tanzania, and provides recommendations for improving enforcement and inter-agency coordination.

This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the rise of piracy off the coast of Somalia as a symptom of the failure of national, regional, and global security systems. It argues that the international community's focus on the US-led Global War on Terror has led to misplaced priorities, allowing piracy to proliferate due to the collapse of the Somali state and the inefficiency of regional bodies like IGAD.

This report summarizes a seminar held on 1 October 2008 at the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) Addis Ababa Office regarding the recall of President Thabo Mbeki by the African National Congress (ANC) and the resulting implications for South Africa and the African continent.

This report analyzes the land-based conflict in the Mount Elgon region of Western Kenya, focusing on the emergence and activities of the Sabaot Land Defence Force (SLDF) militia. It examines how colonial land alienation and failed post-colonial resettlement schemes created deep-seated grievances among the Sabaot community, specifically the Soy and Mosop clans. The document details the escalation of violence, the state's transition from police to military intervention (Operation Okoa Maisha), and the resulting human rights abuses committed by both the militia and the Kenyan army.

This seminar report, compiled by the Institute for Security Studies, details a presentation by Dr. Witold Patoka on the 2008 conflict between Georgia and Russia and its implications for European security. The document outlines the timeline of the August 2008 hostilities, the terms of the subsequent ceasefire, and the geopolitical tensions involving NATO, the European Union, and the United States.

The September 5, 2008, Angolan legislative elections—the first in 16 years—resulted in a landslide victory for the MPLA (82%) over fragmented opposition parties. While viewed as a step toward democracy, the process was marred by media manipulation, National Electoral Commission impartiality concerns, and logistical failures in Luanda. Long-term stability is further threatened by poverty, wealth mismanagement, and an ineffective DDR process for ex-combatants.

This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies analyses the 5 September 2008 Angolan legislative elections, in which the ruling MPLA won a landslide victory. The author argues that the result was achieved through a combination of state resource monopoly, media manipulation, and the intimidation of opposition forces, thereby limiting the prospects for genuine democratic consolidation in Angola.

A report on a September 2008 Institute for Security Studies (ISS) seminar regarding post-conflict criminality in Liberia, based on field research into the impact of UNMIL peacekeeping operations on security and development.

The Institute for Security Studies (ISS) and the Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on 8 September 2008 in Pretoria to cooperate on security sector governance and parliamentary capacity building.

This fact sheet, published by the Institute for Security Studies and based on data from the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO), provides a yearly breakdown of personnel fatalities in United Nations missions from 1948 up to 30 June 2008.

This research paper evaluates the efforts of the South African Department of Correctional Services (DCS) to combat corruption, fraud, and maladministration. It highlights the role of the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) and the Departmental Investigating Unit (DIU) in recovering funds and securing convictions, while arguing that systemic failures, a lack of consistent disciplinary action, and the prevalence of 'petty corruption' continue to undermine the integrity of the prison system.

This edition of the SA Crime Quarterly examines the implementation of the Child Justice Bill, the role of probation officers, the decentralization of firearm destruction by the SAPS, and the functions of the SAPS Investigative Psychology Unit (IPU). It highlights the influence of civil society on child justice legislation and the operational challenges facing specialized police units following a 2006 reorganization.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies assesses the progress and challenges of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) during its first term (2004–2009). The author argues that the PAP is an institutionally weak body due to its premature establishment, which bypassed the gradual integration stages outlined in the 1991 Abuja Treaty. Consequently, the PAP lacks legislative, budgetary, and supervisory powers, operating only as a consultative and advisory body with limited influence over the African Union (AU) executive.

This report summarizes a seminar hosted by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) on August 25, 2008, in Pretoria. The event focused on the Pan African Parliament's (PAP) role in promoting democracy, good governance, and accountability, specifically through the lens of election observation and monitoring in Africa.

This seminar report, presented by Dr. Victor Ojakorotu on 14 August 2008, examines the historical roots and current drivers of conflict in Nigeria's Niger Delta. It analyzes how the shift from regional to federal control of oil revenue, combined with environmental degradation and governance failures, has led to instability and armed rebellion.

This report summarizes a seminar held by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) on August 13, 2008, which analyzed the causes of the political crisis and military coup d'état in Mauritania on August 6, 2008, and explored pathways toward democratic governance.

This document is an executive summary of a one-day consultative workshop held on August 8, 2008, in Nairobi, Kenya. Organized by the Kenya Human Rights Commission and the Africa Human Security Initiative-Institute for Security Studies, the workshop aimed to use the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) to assess security governance in Kenya, specifically addressing the 2007 post-election violence and the role of militia groups.

This report examines the history and state of corruption in the Democratic Republic of Congo, focusing on the transition period between 2003 and 2006. It traces a legacy of predation from King Leopold II's forced labour regime and Mobutu's state capture to the resource looting by foreign occupying forces and the Kabila administration. The author argues that without learning from this history and strengthening anti-corruption institutions and legal frameworks to meet international standards, the DRC risks returning to a cycle of bad governance and conflict despite the democratic progress made during the 2006 elections.