Presenting Volume IX of the Africa Policy Journal

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I am excited to present the ninth edition of the Africa Policy Journal. I am grateful to those who helped make it a success. Bakary Seckan, the former Editor-in-Chief made the transition seamless. Timothy Cheston, Tomoo Okubu, and Sarah Glavey helped publicize the Journal to the greater Harvard community and recruit new editors at the 2013 Student Club Fair sponsored by the Kennedy School Student Government (KSSG). We worked closely with both KSSG and Student Services to publicize and finance our activities. I am particularly grateful to Joyce Hahn, APJ’s Managing Editor whose fundraising skills and management prowess made this edition a reality. I thank the following editors for their commitment to APJ throughout the year: Elizabeth Bennett, Aubrey Merpi, Ngozika Amalu, Kimberly Fernandes, Tim Cheston, Sarah Glavey, Tomoo Okubu, Ding Xu, and Bhekinkosi Sibanda.

We launched our 2014 Call for Submissions on October 15^th 2013. We reached a diverse audience through our website and Facebook page. We received many submissions including book reviews, Op-Eds, and academic articles. We successfully solicited high profile interviews, one with the former PM of Niger and CEO of the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD), Dr. Ibrahim Assane Mayaki, and the other with UN Resident Coordinator in South Sudan Ms. Lise Grande. Both interviews are featured in this volume. Needless to say, we could not publish all of the submissions but we were encouraged by the breadth of participation. The rest of the submissions that were not included in the print edition will be posted on our website.

Notwithstanding these successes, there were also challenges. In a bid to ensure sustainability of focus, we sought to create an Advisory Board comprising opinion makers from Africa but we had limited success in that regard. In hindsight, a more targeted and more realistic campaign might have yielded greater success and we leave this as a challenge to the next team. I believe an Advisory Board would greatly enhance our efforts to reach an even wider network and ensure APJ’s sustained presence in African policy debates.

I would be remiss if I did not mention the passing of one of Africa’s most venerable heroes, Nelson Mandela in early December, 2013. The Economist magazine put it best when it said that the passing of Mandela “diminishes us all”. This edition of the Africa Policy Journal features several commentaries on governance and the search for leadership in Africa. As you read through, for example, Professor Frankel’s Op-Ed on the Mo Ibrahim Prize for African Leaders or the interview with Dr. Mayaki as he discusses the importance of leadership in Africa’s future, I urge you to contemplate on the urgency of this topic in light on Mandela’s passing.

I am confident that the Africa Policy Journal will continue to be an important mouthpiece for those who are as excited about Africa’s future as we are.

Thank you for your support.

Mpumelelo (Lelo) NXUMALO

Editor-in-Chief, 2013–2014