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This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies provides an update on the stalled Juba peace talks between the Government of Uganda (GOU) and the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA). It analyzes the regionalization of the conflict across Uganda, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and the Central African Republic (CAR), while evaluating the tension between military solutions and the pursuit of a final peace agreement hampered by International Criminal Court (ICC) indictments and internal LRA feuding.

This research paper evaluates the SADC-brokered Global Political Agreement aimed at resolving the political and economic crisis in Zimbabwe. While the author praises the comprehensive nature of the diplomatic solution and the leadership of Thabo Mbeki, the paper argues that the process was too slow, allowing the country to suffer extreme economic collapse and humanitarian distress before a resolution was reached.

This report by the Center for International Environmental Law examines the legal history and environmental impact of the U.S.-Mexico border wall, focusing on the unprecedented authority granted to the Secretary of Homeland Security to waive all legal requirements to expedite construction.

This briefing outlines the ongoing efforts by the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) to revise its 1976 Arbitration Rules to increase transparency in investor-State disputes. It highlights that while these rules are widely used, their origin in private commercial law allows for secrecy in cases involving public interests—such as environmental protection and natural resource management—and large financial awards. The document notes that on June 27, 2008, the Commission agreed by consensus to ensure transparency, with specific work on this issue scheduled to begin in September 2009.

This report analyzes the environmental and social impacts of the global cotton textile product chain, focusing on China's role as a major producer, importer, and exporter. It evaluates the trade-offs between economic growth and environmental degradation, proposing a transition toward sustainable cotton production and the internalization of environmental costs to maintain long-term competitiveness.

This document introduces a preliminary effort by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) to define the Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) sector and its relationship to sustainable development, noting that the sector's complexity and lack of clear definition have hindered the identification of synergies between ICTs, Internet infrastructure management, and sustainable development goals.

This document is an executive summary of the international conference "Unpacking the Somali Conflict," held in Pretoria on January 21, 2009. Organized by the African Security Analysis Programme, the event brought together analysts and practitioners to discuss the complexities of the crisis in Somalia, the role of the Transitional Federal Government and the African Union, and alternative paradigms for peace and conflict resolution.

This seminar report, based on a session held in Addis Ababa on January 20, 2009, uses the Ghanaian experience to examine whether elections can resolve political contests in the absence of political compromise. The seminar concludes that elections are not isolated events but are embedded within a broader political culture and body polity, meaning their effectiveness in conflict prevention depends on the surrounding political context.

The Interlinked ODS Phase-out Activities Handbook provides guidance for government officers to reduce the demand for ozone-depleting refrigerants in the servicing sector through coordinated stakeholder activities.

This report describes a Monte-Carlo analysis conducted to quantify error margins and parameter uncertainty within a multi-region input-output (MRIO) model used to calculate carbon dioxide emissions embedded in UK trade flows.

This report follows a December 2005 Expert Group Meeting convened at UNIDO's headquarters in Vienna, Austria, focused on industrial biotechnology and biomass utilisation in the developing world. It aims to support the creation and deployment of policy frameworks and technology platforms for industrial development and biomass conversion.

This research paper assesses the portfolio screening activities of at least six development agencies aimed at mainstreaming climate change adaptation into development planning. It examines the methods used to identify existing climate risk considerations in projects and opportunities for future integration, while providing guidance for more systematic assessment.

A briefing explaining the fundamental mechanics, structure, and regulatory environment of the electric transmission grid, emphasizing its role in integrating clean energy and the need for future investment.

In a statement to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce on January 15, 2009, Jonathan Lash, President of the World Resources Institute (WRI), advocated for the urgent enactment of domestic U.S. climate legislation. Representing the United States Climate Action Partnership (US CAP), Lash argued that climate trends are accelerating faster than models predicted and that the U.S. must lead a transition to a low-carbon economy through a market-driven, economy-wide cap-and-trade program and complementary clean energy investments.

This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the economic and political outlook for Africa in 2009, highlighting the risks posed by the global banking crisis, commodity price volatility, and precarious democratic transitions.

Friends of the Earth International (FoEI) formally notified the IUCN of its decision to withdraw its membership due to the IUCN's corporate partnership with Shell and other corporations, arguing that such partnerships serve as 'greenwashing' and undermine environmental and human rights struggles.

This IISD commentary discusses the impact of fraud allegations within the Information Technology Enabled Services (ITES) sector, specifically citing the Satyam Computer Services Ltd. scandal, while arguing that the sector remains essential for sustainable development and globalization.

This report describes a project by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs to develop sustainability indicators for the urban First Nations community in Winnipeg. The initiative focuses on a community-led process to identify key issues and measures of well-being across four domains—social, environmental, economic, and cultural—based on the Aboriginal Medicine Wheel, aiming to create a baseline for monitoring progress and influencing policy.

This research paper by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) provides a framework for civil society organisations (CSOs) to use the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) to monitor government management of public resources. The authors argue that the APRM's Economic Governance and Management section is often too technocratic for CSOs, and they propose five evidence-based indicators—strategic planning, expenditure management, internal controls, handling of resource abuse, and accountability to oversight institutions—to help citizens ensure the progressive realisation of socio-economic rights.

This research paper by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the patterns, types, and social dynamics of Chinese migration to Africa. It distinguishes between temporary labor migrants, independent entrepreneurs, and transit migrants, while analyzing the socio-economic tensions and settlement patterns emerging across the continent, with a detailed case study on South Africa.