Well-managed security is increasingly seen as a fundamental objective of human development as well as a necessary precursor to economic growth. In a fast transforming continent like Africa, the security agencies, such as the military, aim to offer comprehensive defense against the existing dangers, but they are subject to political influence. Intelligence agencies cannot offer comprehensive protection but can identify the new threats. Furthermore, they can remove the bias that is introduced into information either by the sender or by the receiver.
Intelligence services can monitor and respond more effectively than security services to emerging or incoherent threats, and thus enable parties to make credible promises and commitments to peace. However, they require careful management, which means that a system of control, supervision, and oversight is necessary to ensure that the approaches employed for intelligence collection meet the defined standards that are acceptable to the society they serve. As stated by Edward Waltz,
“In this rapidly changing and volatile world, the expectations required of those in the intelligence discipline are high – knowledge of the hidden and foreknowledge of the unpredictable.”
Africa Intelligence is the first professional website that disseminates information and news on African politics and economics. It gathers strategic news and actionable intelligence from five newsletters, namely:
- The Indian Ocean Newsletter
- Africa Energy Intelligence
- Africa Mining Intelligence
- Maghreb Confidential
Before Africa Intelligence, very little was written on intelligence in Africa from an African perspective. Africa Intelligence is the first information system that is dedicated exclusively to Africa. It has been designed specifically to support advanced research for twenty-one African countries including Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Morocco, Guinea, Sudan, Tanzania, Somalia, Algeria, Angola, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Niger, Uganda, Congo, Madagascar, Senegal and more. Its publications are known for their intimate connections with the most influential people on both sides of the Mediterranean. It is different from other business news sites, which cover Africa on a random basis.
The new environment has made it imperative for all stakeholders in intelligence, on all levels, to share intelligence and study improved ways to develop insight in the new era and anticipate surprises. By getting access to the rich repository of Africa Intelligence, presidential residences, government departments, headquarters of major corporations and a large number of enthused intelligence professionals in Africa are able to evaluate and respond to threats, and build measures for collective security.