n Conflict Trends - A conceptual framework for African leadership development

Abstract

We live in a complex and interdependent world, easily vulnerable to disruption. This is well exemplified in the post 9/11 context by the war in Iraq, with its mass sectarian killings, and the continuing turmoil in Palestine and Israel; a fragile planet whose ecosystem is threatened by global warming, largely due to emissions from the use of fossil fuels; millions of deaths from the HIV/AIDS pandemic in sub-Saharan Africa; vast sectors of the population living in dire poverty without adequate food, sanitation or potable water. In this unfolding scenario, the need for leadership has never been so great, at every level of society. Leaders who can broaden horizons, uplift spirits and mobilise the necessary resources and empower others to act in the best interests of their organisation and the larger society are needed.