Search Climate Insights Directory

This policy brief, published by the Institute for Security Studies in June 2011, examines the governance of climate change funds—specifically the Adaptation Fund, the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), and Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD)—across several developing countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. It highlights systemic issues regarding accountability, stakeholder representation, and the risk of private sector interests overriding local needs.

This report chapter outlines the components of a comprehensive institutional response to HIV/AIDS in the workplace, emphasizing a holistic approach that combines prevention, treatment, and the mitigation of operational impacts. It details guiding principles, the necessity of workplace policies, and strategies for maintaining institutional continuity despite personnel loss.

This report presents a case study on the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic on local councils in Botswana, specifically examining Gaborone city council, Lobatse town council, and Kgatleng district council. It details how the epidemic increases demand for public services while simultaneously eroding the capacity of councils to supply them through staff attrition and illness. The document highlights a gap between Botswana's comprehensive national policy framework and the lack of institutionalised, internal workplace responses within local government councils.

This case study examines the impact of HIV/AIDS on the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (MoAFS) in Lesotho. It details how the epidemic causes significant staff attrition, particularly among professional and technical cadres, and hampers the ministry's ability to deliver agricultural services and ensure food security. The document highlights a lack of internal policy frameworks, inadequate coordination, and the failure to effectively utilize allocated budgets to manage the virus within the workforce.

This report examines the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic on the capacity and effectiveness of public sector institutions in Southern Africa, specifically focusing on three case studies including the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water (MoAFS) in Lesotho and the Ministry of Public Service (MPS). It finds that AIDS-related attrition, combined with pre-existing organizational weaknesses, is undermining service delivery and institutional memory.

This document is a keynote address delivered by Hon. Okello Oryem Henry, Uganda's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, at a roundtable conference titled "State of the Union 2030: Security Threats and Responses" held in Kampala, Uganda, in July 2009. The address outlines potential security threats facing Africa leading up to 2030 and suggests areas for analysis to inform the African Union's peace and security strategies.

An opening speech by Ambassador W Makanda delivered during South Africa Week, reflecting on South Africa's transition to a non-racial democracy and advocating for negotiation and intellectual discourse over armed conflict to resolve political challenges in Africa and globally.

This report, produced by the Institute for Security Studies in collaboration with the Southern African Regional Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation (SARPCCO), provides a comprehensive review of organised criminal activities in 12 southern African countries. It identifies a strong nexus between organised crime and corruption, noting that the region's porous borders and economic disparities facilitate the transnational movement of drugs, stolen vehicles, counterfeit goods, and endangered species. The report emphasizes that while some crimes are local, the most serious activities are transnational and often underpinned by systemic corruption within law enforcement and government institutions.

This research paper examines the relationship between civil society, the military, and democratic consolidation in Zambia. It argues that while civil society has grown, it has largely ignored the 'democratisation of the military,' leaving a void in civilian oversight of defence policy and budgeting. The author suggests that stable civil-military relations require a partnership between the military, parliament, and civil society to ensure transparency, accountability, and the subordination of the armed forces to civilian control.

This research paper examines the evolution of civil-military relations in Botswana, focusing on how the Botswana Defence Force (BDF) has navigated the tension between operational secrecy, military spending, and the need for public trust within a democratic framework. It details the BDF's transition from a force struggling with legitimacy during South African cross-border raids to one seeking public acceptance through humanitarian missions and domestic support roles.

This research paper examines the evolution of civil-military relations in Mozambique following the Cold War and the end of apartheid. It analyzes the transition from a single-party system to a multi-party democracy, the integration of former belligerents into the Mozambique Defence Force (FADM), and the challenges of establishing professional, democratic civilian control over the military in a volatile regional security environment.

This research paper provides a historical analysis of civil-military relations in Malawi, tracing the evolution of the state's security apparatus from the pre-colonial Maravi Kingdom through British colonial rule and the one-party state under Hastings Kamuzu Banda to the current multi-party system. It examines the role of the Malawi Army and the Malawi Young Pioneers (MYP) as instruments of both state security and political control, highlighting the transition toward professional civilian oversight and international peacekeeping roles after 1994.

This research paper by James Ngculu examines the history of Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK), the military wing of the African National Congress (ANC), and its role in establishing a tradition of democratic civil-military relations in South Africa. The author argues that MK's foundational commitment to political subordination and accountability to civilian leadership provided a blueprint for the integration of forces and the creation of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) after 1994.

This research paper by Martin R Rupiya analyzes the deterioration of civil-military relations in Zimbabwe between 1980 and 2002. The author argues that the country's security institutions are rooted in a 'liberation movement model' characterized by a fusion of political and military power, which has led to the ruling ZANU (PF) party using coercive military tools to maintain dominance over political opponents and manage state failures.

This research paper analyzes the South African Defence Review process (1996–1998) and the 1995 Defence White Paper, arguing that while the process was historically inclusive and democratic, the resulting force design relied too heavily on traditional Western concepts of 'primary function' (territorial sovereignty) at the expense of more frequent 'secondary functions' (internal stability and regional support).

This research paper by Rocky Williams critiques the application of Western civil-military relations theories to the African context, arguing that formal institutional mechanisms are often insufficient for ensuring civil control. The author proposes a more flexible 'collaborative-partnership' model that integrates both objective (formal/legal) and subjective (informal/relational) forms of control, drawing on evidence from Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries to demonstrate how political partnerships and shared value frameworks maintain stability.

This research paper analyzes the history of human rights violations in Zimbabwe, arguing that land disputes and political intolerance are the primary drivers of abuse. It details the transition from colonial racial discrimination to post-colonial state violence, including the Gukurahundi massacres, the violent fast-track land reform programme, and the systematic suppression of political opposition and free speech through draconian legislation. The author concludes that Zimbabwe demonstrates the vulnerability of states in democratic transition to regress into tyranny.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies examines the operational challenges facing the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Organ for Politics, Defence and Security (OPDS). It analyzes the Organ's evolution since its 1996 creation, focusing on the tension between state sovereignty and regional collaboration, the impact of socio-economic crises like HIV/AIDS on security forces, and the limited administrative capacity of the SADC Secretariat. The authors argue that while the region possesses strong political solidarity and a comprehensive security architecture, its efficacy is hindered by financial constraints and a precarious international environment.

This research paper reviews corruption within the South African Police Service (SAPS), highlighting a disconnect between high-level anti-corruption policies and their implementation at the station level. It notes a pervasive culture of secrecy and low public trust, while detailing a new 2007 strategic plan based on prevention, detection, investigation, and restoration, though it warns that the plan is under-resourced.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) provides an overview of the 2007 National Crime and Victimisation Survey (NCVS) in South Africa. It compares data from 2007 with previous surveys from 1998 and 2003 to track trends in victimisation, reporting rates, public perceptions of safety, and the performance of the criminal justice system.