Some Conclusions and Reflections

Many African states were formerly European colonies whose territorial boundaries were protected at independence by the uti possedetis principle, although in succeeding decades some of the new nation-states proved to be unstable. These conclusions bring together the findings of case studies in this book collection, which concern the unstable dynamics of national and local governance institutions, faced with rapid population and urban growth, and accompanied often by forced displacements. Other chapters address attempts to improve women’s rights and provision of basic services in informal settlements, and to prevent and control corrupt governance practices. Chapters on environmental issues and activism focus on ‘extractivism’ in the mining sector, water and coastal zone management, and approaches towards realising the Sustainable Development Agenda.