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This research paper analyzes the shift in African nations' approach to global development during the UN General Assembly's 80th anniversary. It details a transition from dependency on official development assistance toward a vision of sovereignty, financial agency, and systemic reform of international financial institutions to address debt and climate finance gaps.

This research paper examines the energy dynamics and regional integration in the border regions of northwest Argentina and southern Bolivia, focusing on the tensions between national governments, local authorities, and transnational private companies over hydrocarbon production and resource control.

This report by Indonesia Corruption Watch and Trend Asia examines the financial and political networks sustaining the coal industry in Indonesia. It argues that massive funding from national banks and the influence of a small elite group of politically exposed persons (PEPs) are creating 'climate delay,' hindering the transition to clean energy despite international commitments.

This research paper examines the co-constitutive relationship between economic decline and rising insecurity in Nigeria, arguing that poor governance, dwindling state capacity, and systemic poverty drive violence across the country's geopolitical zones.

This research paper examines solar mini-grid projects in northern Kenya to analyze their impact on local communities. The authors utilize a combination of the 4Es framework and "mechanisms of social change" (MOSC) language to map causal pathways and understand how the design and implementation of adaptation projects can lead to both positive and negative socio-economic and ecological outcomes.

This policy brief examines the political drivers and historical context of Egypt's nuclear power plant project in Dabaa, developed in partnership with Russia's ROSATOM. The author argues that the project is framed as a 'techno-nationalist' mega-project linked to national prestige and self-sufficiency, rather than being based solely on energy or economic needs. The document highlights a lack of transparency in decision-making, public consultation, and the management of safety risks and spent fuel.

This research paper analyzes the diplomatic and strategic relationship between Senegal and Guinea-Bissau from 2000 to 2012, focusing on the foreign policy of President Abdoulaye Wade. It examines how Senegal utilized its economic power, diplomatic networks, and patronage to influence its neighbor, primarily to secure its southern border and combat the MFDC separatists in Casamance. The document details the shift from a period of Senegalese dominance to a more contested environment characterized by the rising influence of Angola.

This research paper by Petrus de Kock for the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) examines the historical and contemporary drivers of conflict in Sudan, focusing on the relationship between the central state in Khartoum and its marginalised peripheries. Written in June 2011, the document analyzes how the struggle for both high-level resources (oil) and low-level subsistence resources (land and water) has shaped the country's political landscape, leading to two civil wars and the eventual independence of Southern Sudan in July 2011.

This policy briefing examines how the governance of oil resources contributed to the secession of Southern Sudan. It argues that the failure of the National Congress Party (NCP) to ensure fair revenue sharing, transparency, and local community development convinced Southern Sudanese that they would benefit more from an independent state than from a united Sudan.

This research paper argues that underdevelopment in Sub-Saharan Africa is driven by a structural power imbalance where political elites use state control to extract savings from the private sector—primarily peasants and multinational corporations—diverting these resources toward elite consumption and state repression rather than productive investment.

This research paper by Professor Okechukwu Ibeanu examines the relationship between think-tank funding and institutional independence, focusing on the Nigerian experience. It analyzes how the transition from military to civilian rule shifted funding dynamics between public and private research institutions and explores whether government funding necessarily inhibits a think-tank's ability to criticize the state.

This trade policy briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) examines the political economy of the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), focusing on the transition from a model of South African dominance to the consensus-based 'open regionalism' established by the 2002 agreement.

This research paper examines the 'Goldenberg' scandal, a high-level financial conspiracy in Kenya between 1990 and 1993 involving senior officials of the Daniel Arap Moi administration and private wheeler-dealers. The scheme exploited government incentives for non-traditional exports and foreign exchange controls to siphon hundreds of millions of dollars from the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK), contributing to severe economic instability and inflation.

This research paper examines the political economy of land reform in Zimbabwe, Namibia, and Mozambique, focusing on the legacies of settler colonialism and the challenges of redistributing land to rural populations. It analyzes the different strategies employed by each nation—ranging from Zimbabwe's 'fast track' land invasions and Namibia's 'willing-seller' model to Mozambique's hybrid legal system—and discusses the regional economic implications of these policies, including their impact on foreign investment and trade within the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

This research paper by Nandile Ngubentombi examines South Africa's foreign policy toward Swaziland and Zimbabwe, focusing on the use of 'quiet diplomacy' and 'persuasive diplomacy' to address political crises and human rights abuses. The author analyzes why South Africa's approach differs between the two nations, noting that while both suffer from tyrannical leadership and political suppression, Zimbabwe's larger economic scale makes its instability a greater regional threat, whereas Swaziland's smaller size results in less regional concern despite its absolute monarchy.

This briefing by Friends of the Earth International argues that corporate and elite capture of national political decision-making is a primary driver behind the failure of governments to implement the economic transformations necessary to address the climate crisis and meet UNFCCC goals.

This research paper by Ivor Chipkin examines the conceptual and political drivers of corruption and 'state capture' in South Africa. It argues that the persistence of corruption is not merely a failure of ethics but a result of a deliberate ideological struggle over the form of the state, pitting a liberal model of a neutral bureaucracy against the African National Congress's (ANC) 'National Democratic Revolution' (NDR) and 'cadre deployment' strategies.

This research paper by Bill Bowen analyzes the political economy of Australia's unilateral trade and economic reforms from the 1970s through the early 2000s. It examines how the country transitioned from a highly protected 'fixed price country' to a competitive global economy, highlighting the roles of independent research bodies, political leadership, and social compensation mechanisms. The document is intended to provide lessons for South Africa as it considers similar reform paths.

This research paper by Gregory Mthembu-Salter for the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) examines the historical, political, and economic relationships between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), China, and India. It analyzes how these two Asian powers engage with the DRC's mining, telecommunications, and infrastructure sectors, highlighting the contrast between China's state-led, resource-for-infrastructure strategy and India's more fragmented, private-sector-driven approach.

This policy briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs analyzes the political economy of peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), arguing that regional peace agreements are shaped by the shifting economic power between the eastern Kivus and the southern Katanga province.