Intelligence and accountability in Africa

This policy brief seeks to highlight general trends in enhancing the accountability of intelligence agencies.

Building systems of accountability for intelligence services in Africa is relatively new phenomenon. The intelligence sector has traditionally been viewed as a core arena of state security outside of the purview of parliament and civil society. As democratic arrangements have become more entrenched and oversight of the security sector has improved, space has opened for debate on the functions and practices of intelligence. This policy brief seeks to highlight general trends in enhancing the accountability of intelligence agencies and indicates areas for intervention and advocacy.

Author: Lauren Hutton, Junior Researcher, South African Human Security Programme, ISS Pretoria