The International Development Policy Series is a key reference source on development policy trends and challenges. The Series comprises two distinct parts: a thematic dossier and an annual review.The thematic dossier focuses on 50 years of African independence. While we celebrate the 50th anniversary of independence, authors of different origins offer their analyses of decolonisation. To what extent can the current situation of Africa be attributed to its colonial past? Is the current situation the result of legacies and relations with former colonial powers, or should this influence take a back seat in favour of greater emphasis on pre- and post-colonial history? What is the role of colonial history in the emergency and development of aid agencies? What are the prospects for Africa 50 years after independence?The annual review focuses on the major development policy trends, that is to say the evolution of development policies, and especially on efforts to create a "new world food order" in the aftermath of the 2007-08 food crisis, the consequences of the 2009 financial and economic crisis, the future of the Doha Round and the bearing of climate-related issues on the agenda of the WTO. International cooperation is examined from the perspective of aid effectiveness and overall policy coherence.