Both the obstacles to governance and the opportunities for democratization confronted in East Africa—with its geostrategic importance, porous borders, governments heavily dependent on foreign aid, and some of Africa's longest running conflicts—provide valuable insights into how good governance policies can be implemented effectively throughout the developing world.
East Africa and the Horn explores these regional constraints and opportunities, focusing on issues of civil society, the ubiquitous trade in small arms and light weapons, large numbers of refugees, tensions around national identity, and the legacy of U.S. policy.
The authors also underscore the need for even peaceful countries in the region to proactively address potentially destabilizing issues in neighboring states.
Dorina A. Bekoe is on the staff of the Africa Center for Strategic Studies at the National Defense University.
