Mali mainly, 2012 coup, drugs & more

[KingJaja]

Who would be the "we" in that statement?

"We" refers to the International Community (especially ECOWAS). Mali has to renegotiate its internal political architecture to ensure sustainable peace.

You know about South Sudan? South Sudan is the future of many African states - you can take that to the bank.

It is 50 years after independence and we now have a fair idea of which African states are workable and which African states are unworkable. Over the next few decades, this will be even clearer.

About "good governance" - it isn't a game of dice.

[Dayuhan]

"We" refers to the International Community (especially ECOWAS).

I'm not sure there is such a thing as an "international community" in any reliably coherent sense. Nations near and far may cooperate to the extent that they see common interests, but they are pursuing their own interests, not those of any other nation or any hypothetical community.

Mali has to renegotiate its internal political architecture to ensure sustainable peace.

Possibly so, but who would negotiate, and with whom?

You know about South Sudan? South Sudan is the future of many African states - you can take that to the bank.

I don't doubt it. What I doubt is the ability of any outside party to determine where and how this should happen, and the wisdom of efforts by outside parties to make this happen.

It is 50 years after independence and we now have a fair idea of which African states are workable and which African states are unworkable. Over the next few decades, this will be even clearer.

Again, describing a country as "unworkable" is easy enough, and the term may well be accurate... but any external effort to propose or impose a solution is likely to create a good deal of trouble.

About "good governance" - it isn't a game of dice.

No, it's not a game at all. For one thing, nobody seems to know the rules. We may know bad governance when we see it, but I'm not sure any of us - or any hypothetical "we" - are in a position to determine what "good governance" means for someone else, or how they should go about achieving it.

[KingJaja]

Again, describing a country as "unworkable" is easy enough, and the term may well be accurate... but any external effort to propose or impose a solution is likely to create a good deal of trouble.

South Sudan is an externally imposed solution. It is tricky, but inevitable. Expect more in future.