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The seminar, co-organized by the Institute for Security Studies and the Ethiopian International Institute for Peace and Development, highlighted Africa's vulnerability to climate change and the necessity of a united African position for the Copenhagen talks. Key discussions centered on the EU's commitment to a 30% emission reduction by 2020 and a pledge of 100 billion Euros for developing countries, as well as the need for technology transfer and financial compensation for Africa. The event also detailed the institutional framework of the African Union's common position, including the role of a ten-country committee headed by Ethiopia's Prime Minister Meles Zenawi.

The report details a seminar featuring Doug Brooks, President of the Association of the Stability Operations Industry (IPOA), who argued that private security contractors provide cost-effective, specialized capabilities that reduce military footprints and logistical burdens in peacekeeping. The seminar also included a response from Lawrence Juma, who questioned the distinction between these companies and mercenaries, the appropriateness of their role in internal conflicts in fragile states, and the adequacy of existing regulatory frameworks like the Montreux Document.

The document reports on a seminar held in Addis Ababa on November 17, 2009, which discussed the potential for conflict arising from the lack of a comprehensive framework for sharing the Nile and Lake Victoria water resources. Participants identified several drivers of instability, including dwindling resources, colonial boundary demarcations, and the influence of trade syndicates and the World Bank.