Published December 20, 2011 | By Amangeldi Djumanaliev and Tierney Anderson

In recent years, Uganda’s human rights record and anti-corruption initiatives have been applauded, though further implementation of these initiatives is needed. President Yoweri Museveni, in power since 1986, was re-elected to a fourth term in office in 2011 with an overwhelming victory. Opposition candidates staged public protests, including a “Walk-to-Work” campaign, protesting over the rising cost of food, fuel, and government corruption. Government security forces responded with overwhelming force, firing at unarmed civilians and using tear gas to arrest protesters. This heavy-handed response to the protests and subsequent rioting has been criticized domestically and internationally. Meanwhile, the government continues to struggle with both political instability and economic decline. The recent deployment of 100 American military advisors to Uganda could help defeat the Lord’s Resistance Army, finally ending the two decade long war in the North and allowing for the safe return of thousands of IDPs.

Published December 5, 2011 | By Amangeldi Djumanaliev

Liberia’s incumbent President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is the first and only female head of state in Africa since November 2005. With a solid background in the realm of international development and governance, she has pledged to curb corruption and advance both public sector and economic reforms. In 2011, she was jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. In November 2011, she won re-election after the candidate for the CDC boycotted the second round of the poll claiming irregularities although all the monitoring groups declared the election free, fair and transparent. The government has since emphasized the importance of reconciliation by involving her political rivals in the government and by launching an independent inquiry into election-related violence. In 2006, a Truth and Reconciliation Commission was established to address the causes and crimes of the civil war. Among her latest initiatives are an Executive Order making education free and compulsory for all elementary school aged children, signing a Freedom of Information Bill into law, and attempts to suppress corruption. President Sirleaf has also vowed to reduce the national debt and decrease dependence on foreign aid. Thus far the new government has shown itself to be capable of improving the nation’s condition; however, it remains to be seen if a political transition can be made smoothly.

Published November 30, 2011 | By Amangeldi Djumanaliev and Raphaël Jaeger

Situated in a relatively volatile region of East Africa, sandwiched next to Rwanda and the restive eastern provinces of D. R. Congo, Burundi continues to be one of the world’s poorest countries. Since independence from Belgium, Burundi has been beset by ethnic conflict between the Tutsi minority (which owned most of the land and controlled the army and much of the economy) and the Hutu majority. The country has been characterized by repeated ethnic conflict, military coups, assassinations, and low-intensity civil wars. In May 2008, the government signed a ceasefire with the last active rebel group, formally ending the civil war. Recent arrests of journalists and opposition party members, and harassment of civil society have added to current concerns. The al Shabaab terrorist group has made threats to conduct terrorist attacks against Burundi in retaliation to Bujumbura’s decision to send 4,000 peacekeeping troops to Somalia.