The open conversation on African intelligence

This chapter advances several conclusive remarks on contemporary intelligence in Africa. It makes conclusive remarks on the role of historical colonial legacies and external influences on African intelligence, as well as the impact of state-making and nation-building on intelligence services. The chapter also highlights discussions around the use of traditional surveillance systems, the growth of financial intelligence, the use of covert action and counterintelligence in states in transition, as well as developing state intelligence services in parallel with competing non-state intelligence actors. It also makes preliminary conclusions on the importance of intelligence services in security and governance, while paying attention to related issues such as politicization, professionalization, and balancing information freedom and other rights. It also highlights the expansion of intelligence into the private sector and environmental domain. The chapter frames the conclusive remarks in such a way that it leaves the conversation on African intelligence somewhat open.