Since 1992, Mali has managed to preserve its democracy in the face of great odds. Continued vigilance will be needed, however, to prevent the gains of the past decade from slipping away.
About the Author
Zeric Kay Smith, a senior research associate with Management Systems International in Washington, D.C., was formerly a visiting assistant professor of government and international studies and a resident fellow at the Walker Institute for International Studies at the University of South Carolina. He has published extensively on Malian, African, and Caribbean politics.
After a long and bloody civil conflict, Burundi has established a new democratic regime. Does its tenuous but hopeful example hold lessons that might help its troubled neighbors?