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This policy brief examines the African Union's iDove initiative, a youth-led platform designed to prevent violent extremism (PVE) through intra/interfaith dialogue. It analyzes the initiative's sustainability and adaptability in Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the shift toward virtual engagement and the need for greater integration into continental policy frameworks.

This report chapter analyzes the appointment and removal processes for senior leadership within South Africa's key criminal justice institutions, including the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), South African Police Service (SAPS), Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), and Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID). It argues that current frameworks allow for excessive political interference, undermining institutional independence and the rule of law, and proposes the institutionalization of independent selection panels and more rigorous, transparent criteria for appointments.

This research paper examines how the COVID-19 pandemic has influenced South Africa's leadership and relations within Africa. While the author praises South Africa's multilateral coordination of the continental health response as AU chair, they argue that domestic failures—specifically institutionalised xenophobia and corruption—undermine the country's soft power and long-term leadership potential on the continent.

The September 2020 Peace & Security Council Report examines the African Union's (AU) operational challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, the precarious state of peace agreements in Sudan and Libya, the root causes of coups in Africa with a focus on Mali, and the potential for national dialogue in Ethiopia.

This June 2020 report from the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the activities of the African Union's Peace and Security Council (PSC), focusing on regional coordination against COVID-19, the political and security situation in Somalia, institutional reforms within the AU Commission, and the challenges of borderland security and youth engagement.

This policy brief examines the African Peer Review Mechanism's (APRM) goal of achieving universal accession by 2023, arguing that the organization must prioritize clearing its backlog of unreviewed members and improving the implementation of governance reforms over simply increasing membership numbers.

The May 2020 Peace & Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the African Union's (AU) challenges in the Sahel, the human rights risks associated with COVID-19 states of emergency, the adaptation of peace support operations (PSOs) to the pandemic, and the economic threat to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It also analyzes the potential shift in the global order and the need for Africa to reduce its dependence on external support.

This report examines the practice of requiring sitting presidents to resign or step aside before seeking re-election to mitigate the abuse of incumbency. Using case studies from Cabo Verde and Madagascar, the author argues that this mechanism helps level the electoral playing field and reduces post-electoral violence by improving the perceived integrity of the process.

This fact sheet, published by the Institute for Economic Justice, SECTION27, and the Center for Economic and Social Rights, examines the South African government's obligation to use the 'maximum available resources' to protect social and economic rights during the COVID-19 pandemic. It contrasts the recommendations of the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) with the government's actual fiscal responses, arguing that austerity measures and insufficient revenue mobilization have undermined the rights to healthcare, education, and social security.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies argues that South Africa has neglected its historical role as a leader in global peacebuilding and conflict resolution. It calls for a strategic renewal of the country's foreign policy, the professionalisation of its foreign service, and the establishment of a central coordination agency to align peacebuilding with trade and development goals.

This report by the International Peace Institute and the Institute for Security Studies examines the strategic partnership between the United Nations (UN) and the African Union (AU) regarding conflict prevention and crisis management. It analyzes the political dynamics between the UN Security Council (UNSC) and the AU Peace and Security Council (AUPSC), the operational coordination between the UN Secretariat and AU Commission, and the thematic effectiveness of their collaboration across areas such as mediation, elections, and the 'Silencing the Guns' initiative.

This report summarizes a one-day workshop organized by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) on September 13, 2019, in Geneva, Switzerland. The event examined how global economic governance—specifically international trade and investment regimes—influences income inequality and the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), focusing on market access, e-commerce, industrial policy, and competition policy.

The July 2019 Peace & Security Council Report examines the progress of African Union (AU) institutional reforms, the coordination between the AU and Regional Economic Communities (RECs), and specific political transitions in The Gambia and Algeria. It also analyzes the potential for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to stabilize the Horn of Africa and evaluates the 'Silencing the Guns' initiative.

The April 2019 Peace & Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies examines critical stability challenges across Africa, focusing on the fragility of peace deals in the Central African Republic and South Sudan, the trend of constitutional amendments to extend presidential terms, and the escalating crises in Cameroon and Sudan.

This policy brief argues that the European Union's focus on reducing irregular migration from Libya through short-term operational successes undermines the long-term goal of establishing a stable, accountable, and civilian-led security sector in Libya.

This policy brief examines the failure of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to enforce its democratic electoral standards, using Zimbabwe's July 2018 elections as a primary case study. The author argues that SADC's institutional weaknesses and a culture of 'brotherhood' solidarity among leaders prevent the effective implementation of the SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections, leading to a culture of impunity for member states that violate democratic norms.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies examines the distribution of power and influence within the Southern African Development Community (SADC). It argues that while South Africa remains the dominant economic and military power, the region would benefit from decentralising responsibilities by identifying 'regional champions' or 'locomotives' to drive specific sectoral priorities outlined in the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP).

This policy brief argues that the 2021 deadline for the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) to transfer primary security responsibilities to the Somali National Security Forces (SNSF) is unrealistic. The author contends that the transition is currently driven more by donor funding preferences than by actual security improvements on the ground. To ensure a successful transition, the brief recommends enhancing AMISOM's operational capabilities and resolving the political deadlock between the Federal Government of Somalia and its federal member states.

This 2018 report by the Centre for Environmental Rights evaluates the legal and practical regulation of wild animal welfare in South Africa. It argues that the current system is fragmented, outdated, and biased toward economic gain, leaving captive and exploited wild animals with minimal protection. The report highlights a critical jurisdictional divide between biodiversity conservation (Department of Environmental Affairs) and animal welfare (Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries), which results in inconsistent permitting, poor compliance monitoring, and inadequate enforcement.

This June 2018 report from the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the African Union's (AU) institutional reforms, the AU's evolving role in the Sahel, the collapse of power-sharing talks in South Sudan, and the future of European Union funding for the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA). It specifically examines whether the Peace and Security Council (PSC) Protocol remains adequate for contemporary security challenges.