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The briefing describes Angola's political system as a hybrid of a formal government ruled by the MPLA and a more resilient 'shadow' government controlled by President José Eduardo Dos Santos. This shadow structure, powered by the national oil company Sonangol, manages international policy, money supply, and security independently of formal ministries. The author argues that recent legislative changes, including the 2010 constitution, have formalized the president's unlimited power and weakened the formal state's autonomy. While the regime maintains stability through a vast patronage network, the document identifies internal tensions within the MPLA and the risks of uncontrolled corruption as primary threats to the system's reproduction.

The document examines the governance of climate finance across three developing regions, arguing that funding is heavily skewed toward mitigation over adaptation and private over public sources. It highlights that this imbalance often ignores the urgent needs of the most vulnerable populations and the preference of developing nations for public finance to address historical climate debt. Additionally, it critiques the role of regional development banks, noting conflicts of interest where banks fund both fossil-fuel and renewable energy projects while prioritizing loans over grants.

The report evaluates South Africa's progress on governance themes identified by the APRM, noting that while institutional frameworks exist, implementation is often lacking. Key areas of concern include corruption, party-state blurring through 'cadre deployment', and high levels of poverty and unemployment. While elections are rated highly, the report highlights significant challenges in the justice system, service delivery, and the protection of media freedom.

The report documents a 2010 conference of the South African Civil Society Energy Caucus, focusing on the lack of transparency and public participation in the development of the second Integrated Resource Plan (IRP2). It critiques the government's continued reliance on coal and nuclear power, highlighting the failures of the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) and the environmental risks of radioactive waste in the Witwatersrand goldfields. The document advocates for a 'just transition' toward renewable energy, specifically wind and solar, while calling for an independent system operator to resolve conflicts of interest within Eskom.

The paper critiques South Africa's first APRM Implementation Report for failing to distinguish between general post-apartheid achievements and specific progress made under the APRM National Programme of Action. It identifies significant gaps in reporting on corruption, xenophobia, and corporate governance, while noting that the report was likely rushed and lacks self-criticism. The author suggests that the South African government viewed the APRM as an external diplomatic requirement rather than a domestic tool for governance improvement.

The author contends that climate change is frequently misclassified as a narrow environmental issue, leading to siloed governance and ineffective decision-making. To address the uncertainty and scale of climate impacts, the document advocates for framing climate change as a central strategic risk, establishing statutory duties for action, creating a Cabinet-level Office of Country Risk, and retraining civil service bureaucracies in systems thinking. It highlights examples of progress, such as the UK's Climate Change Act and the US national security community's view of climate change as a "threat multiplier."

The briefing emphasizes that climate adaptation is a governance challenge requiring the active participation of vulnerable populations and civil society to avoid top-down failures. It advocates for community-based adaptation, the integration of traditional and scientific knowledge, and the necessity of developed countries fulfilling their historic responsibility to support developing nations. The author highlights the need for transparent, centralized government processes that align diverse sectors—such as agriculture and environment—to build resilience and protect livelihoods.

The document examines the 2009 transition of power from President Marc Ravalomanana to Andry Rajoelina, framing it as part of a historical pattern of popular uprisings and governance failures in Madagascar. It details the catalysts of the crisis, including accusations of bad governance and the role of the 'urban mob' in Antananarivo, while assessing the international community's response and mediation efforts led by Joachim Chissano. The author argues that sustainable stability requires addressing root causes such as extreme poverty and the lack of credible electoral mechanisms.

The document analyzes the systemic failures of forest governance in Africa, highlighting how colonial-era centralized bureaucracies and externally imposed paradigms—such as industrial logging, biodiversity conservation, and REDD—have marginalized local stakeholders. It documents widespread corruption where political elites use logging concessions for personal enrichment or political financing, and notes that while some countries have attempted decentralization, these reforms are often bureaucratic and fail to grant genuine tenure rights to communities.

The briefing examines the mutual distrust between the Kenyan government and civil society organisations (CSOs), arguing that CSOs are essential for enforcing good governance, transparency, and accountability within the security sector. It highlights the role of CSOs in community policing and human rights advocacy while identifying barriers such as poor governance and a lack of political will. The document recommends that CSOs be used as platforms for public debate and the setting of norms to guide government actions.

The document analyzes the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Ghana, tracing its roots in the Danquah-Busia tradition and its performance after taking power in 2000. It evaluates the NPP's economic policies, such as the 'golden age of business', and its efforts toward poverty reduction and Millennium Development Goals. The paper also discusses internal party dynamics, the role of ethnicity in voting patterns, and the factors contributing to the NPP's defeat in the 2008 elections, including perceptions of corruption and unfulfilled campaign promises.

The author contends that structural adjustment programmes (SAPs) and subsequent 'good governance' prescriptions failed to spur development in Africa because they focused on formal institutional arrangements while ignoring neo-patrimonialism. In neo-patrimonial states, rulers are primarily accountable to followers (clients) rather than the general public, creating a tension with Western norms of transparency. The paper suggests that state decay occurs when the informal sphere fully takes over formal structures, leading to a 'self-reinforcing spiral of state decay'. To reverse this, the author argues that African governments must move away from donor-driven blueprints and instead operationalise local, indigenous measures of legitimacy and accountability to serve developmental goals.

The report examines the vulnerabilities of 'non-legal entities'—multistakeholder partnerships hosted by other organizations—noting a lack of standardized governance codes. Through literature reviews, consulting experience, and three case studies, it identifies ten key governance issues, including misaligned priorities between hosts and partnerships, lack of clear fiduciary responsibilities, and insufficient public accountability. The author argues that these entities should adopt a governance discipline similar to that of legal entities to improve performance and reduce the transactional costs of seeking independence.

The paper examines the systemic instability of Africa's largest states—specifically Nigeria, the DRC, Ethiopia, Sudan, and Angola—noting that their size and complexity often lead to economic failure, administrative collapse, and regional destabilization. It contrasts these with South Africa's relative stability and smaller African states' better economic performance. The author critiques the international community's adherence to territorial integrity and generic federalism, suggesting instead a realism that accepts potential partition, prioritizes state-building before democracy, and deploys more decisive peacekeeping forces.

The document examines the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) as a political process, highlighting the tensions between governments and civil society in pioneer countries. It identifies systemic failures in the APRM's operational guidelines, specifically regarding timeframes, research methods, and the development of Programmes of Action (POAs). The authors propose the 'COPPER' principles (Candid, Open, Planned, Participatory, Exemplary, Rigorous) to ensure a credible review and provide a detailed strategy for civil society to influence the process through evidence-based written submissions and media engagement. The report concludes that the APRM's success depends on presidential leadership, transparent governing councils, and a shift in focus from merely identifying problems to crafting detailed, accountable solutions in the POA.

The paper evaluates whether global adaptation funds are 'technically adequate' by measuring the adherence of the GEF and its Implementing Agencies (IAs) to guidance from the UNFCCC Conference of the Parties (COP). It concludes that the funds are technically inadequate due to complex design and poor implementation, which forces developing countries to 'adapt their projects' to fit available funding rather than the other way around.

The report documents systemic corruption within the South African apartheid state from 1976 to 1994, arguing that the regime's secrecy and authoritarianism facilitated large-scale theft and fraud. It details the use of secret funds, sanctions-busting, and the role of the Broederbond in creating a network of patronage. Key cases include the 'Muldergate' information scandal, the illicit ivory trade by the SADF, and massive foreign exchange fraud. The document concludes that this legacy of corruption persisted beyond 1994 and recommends state-led investigations to recover stolen assets and achieve justice.

The document examines the principles of multi-stakeholder governance, focusing on the balance between legitimacy and efficiency. It analyzes the governance models of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), Social Accountability International (SAI), Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI), Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International (FLO), and the Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN). The author argues that while technical activities like finance and research can operate under simpler governance, the development of ethical standards requires sophisticated mechanisms to ensure balance between interest groups and North-South representation. The paper concludes by recommending a stepwise approach for the Sustainable Coffee Partnership, suggesting a hybrid structure combining elements of ETI for initial phases and a mix of FSC and FLO for standardization efforts.

The document examines the effectiveness of Local Community Trusts (LCTs) in South Africa's renewable energy sector, specifically under the REIPPPP. It highlights the pivotal role of the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) as a financier and oversight body. While some trusts like Sibona, Letsatsi, and Amandla are cited as successful due to robust governance and incubation by Globeleq, many others struggle with 'elite capture', mismanagement, and long periods of inactivity caused by debt repayment to DFIs. The report argues that LCTs are often established for compliance rather than genuine development and recommends a shift toward better trustee selection, improved loan terms, and mandatory transparency reporting to ensure a Just Energy Transition.

The report finds that the majority of the seven examined High Level Groups are either corporate-controlled or unbalanced in favor of industry, leading to policy recommendations that prioritize industrial competitiveness over environmental and social standards. It highlights a lack of democratic legitimacy and inconsistent transparency, calling for the dissolution of industry-controlled groups and the establishment of more equitable consultation mechanisms.