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The document identifies four critical areas for legal reform to prevent forest conversion: ensuring consistency between sectoral laws, establishing transparent land-title granting processes, formally recognizing customary land rights of local communities and indigenous peoples, and providing detailed implementation and enforcement mechanisms. It warns that legal ambiguity and a lack of stakeholder consultation lead to uncontrolled deforestation, land-tenure conflicts, and the potential for unfair evictions.

The Q4 2018 Risk Dashboard indicates that the Green Climate Fund's portfolio concentration and liquidity remain within approved risk tolerance levels. As of 31 December 2018, the fund reported no non-performing loans for the eighth consecutive quarter and maintained a foreign exchange commitment risk buffer of USD 33 million equivalent. The portfolio consists of 93 approved funding proposals with a geographic distribution led by Africa (39%) and Asia-Pacific (34%), and a funding balance favoring mitigation (39%) over adaptation (25%).

The document analyzes Tanzania's struggle to develop a National System of Innovation (NSI) and horizontal linkages due to low industrial capacity and skill shortages. It focuses on the Central Development Corridor (CDC), a logistics system connecting Dar es Salaam to the Great Lakes hinterland, highlighting how coordination failures, private sector concession collapses, and fluctuating mineral prices have delayed infrastructure progress. While recent improvements in port efficiency and border services have occurred, the study concludes that government-led investment, rather than reliance on mining firms, is essential for multipurpose infrastructure.

The guide outlines a four-step process for governments to integrate mining investments into national development plans through local content policies. It details five types of policies: local procurement, direct local employment, horizontal links to non-mining sectors, downstream value addition, and the strengthening of national mining companies. The document emphasizes that there is no universal model, as success depends on a country's specific socioeconomic context, infrastructure, and capacity. It also warns of challenges such as technological automation reducing employment and potential conflicts with international trade and investment laws, specifically WTO rules regarding performance requirements.

The strategy provides a blueprint for the Government of Saint Lucia to use purposeful communication to foster a whole-of-government approach to climate adaptation. It focuses on translating technical climate science into meaningful narratives for diverse stakeholders, including political leaders, farmers, fishers, and youth. The framework emphasizes the use of a mix of traditional media (television, radio) and digital platforms (Facebook, WhatsApp) to drive behavioral change and secure investment for adaptation measures across priority sectors such as tourism, agriculture, and water.

The report assesses Saint Lucia's vulnerability to climate change, identifying key risks to tourism, agriculture, water, and infrastructure. It evaluates the country's current adaptation capacities, highlighting strengths such as the National Climate Change Committee and weaknesses including limited in-country scientific capacity and data gaps. The document recommends improving the national knowledge base, centralizing data access, and aligning the NAP with long-term development planning.

The review of Jacob Zuma's presidency highlights a period of economic decline characterized by low GDP growth, high unemployment, and state-owned enterprise debt. While the administration saw successes in renewable energy investment via the Independent Power Producers Procurement Programme and international acclaim for its HIV/Aids response, it was marred by corruption, state capture, and investor-unfriendly policies in mining and land expropriation. The presidency also shifted diplomatic focus toward China and the BRICS grouping, though this came at the expense of other strategic partnerships.

The briefing by WWF and IISD offers policy guidance for COP 14 regarding the mainstreaming of biodiversity into the infrastructure sector, following a decision from COP 13 to address biodiversity in energy, mining, infrastructure, manufacturing, and health. It mentions upcoming discussions by the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA) and references two specific case studies: bus fleet electrification in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, and hybrid infrastructure in the Bogotá River basin, Colombia.

Fiji's National Adaptation Plan (NAP) is designed as a continuous, iterative process to integrate climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction into sub-national development planning. The approach emphasizes inclusive partnerships across government, civil society, and the private sector, as well as horizontal and vertical integration to mainstream climate concerns across all ministries and local community needs. Key milestones include the 2017 creation of the NAP Framework and the accreditation of the Fiji Development Bank to the Green Climate Fund.

The report analyzes the economic landscape of the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), highlighting the dominance of South Africa and the structural challenges facing small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, and Swaziland (BLNS). Through eight case studies, it identifies critical bottlenecks including unreliable electricity, high transport costs, non-harmonized standards, and burdensome customs procedures. The paper argues that a SACU development fund could be a pivotal tool to finance regional infrastructure and regulatory reforms, moving beyond the current revenue-sharing model to foster genuine industrialization and pro-poor economic outcomes.

The document analyzes the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), a US$3.8 billion project financed largely by China. It argues that most controversies surrounding the project—including corruption, land disputes, and labor tensions—stem from Kenya's neo-patrimonial political culture and governance failures rather than Chinese predatory behavior. While the SGR has provided local employment and skills training, the authors highlight concerns over its economic viability, the lack of transparent bidding, and the environmental impact on wildlife corridors in Tsavo National Park.

The report assesses current and future climate risks in Myanmar, projecting significant temperature increases, variable rainfall changes, and rising sea levels by mid-century. It highlights vulnerabilities across biodiversity, health, agriculture, and infrastructure, while demonstrating how the Myanmar Climate Change Alliance (MCCA) uses vulnerability assessments in the Ayeyarwady Delta and Central Dry Zone to guide local adaptation planning.

The report finds that Myanmar is experiencing significant warming, with inland areas warming faster than coastal ones. Projections for the mid-21st century indicate temperature increases of 1.3°C to 2.7°C and sea level rise of 20 to 41 centimeters. While wet season precipitation is expected to increase, potentially exacerbating flooding, changes in the hot and cool seasons remain uncertain. The report emphasizes the high vulnerability of the Ayeyarwaddy Delta and Central Dry Zone, advocating for ecosystem-based adaptation and the integration of climate risk data into infrastructure and agricultural planning.

The report analyzes development trajectories for 14 Southern African countries, forecasting that while GDP is expected to grow, extreme poverty will persist due to rapid population growth and governance challenges. It uses scenario modeling to demonstrate that integrated policy interventions in governance, health, education, and infrastructure can significantly improve regional outcomes, with governance capacity identified as the primary catalyst for economic growth.

The document outlines the evolution of China-Africa relations from early diplomatic ties to a complex modern partnership. It highlights the role of FOCAC as a primary vehicle for cooperation, the shift toward a 'New Normal' characterized by slowing economic growth and commodity price drops, and China's increasing involvement in African peace and security, marking a departure from its traditional 'non-interference' policy.

The report details a September 2017 training workshop for UEMOA officials focused on maximizing the socioeconomic benefits of the mining sector. Key modules covered global value chains, the development of legal frameworks for local content, employment and training, and the impact of increasing mechanization. The workshop emphasized that local content cannot be achieved by decree but requires integrated national and regional policies, inclusive stakeholder consultation, and the anticipation of technological shifts that may reduce low-skilled jobs. Recommendations include strengthening national local content policies, creating regional frameworks for training and processing facilities, and exercising caution when signing bilateral investment treaties that might limit a state's ability to impose performance requirements.

Africa is experiencing unprecedented urban growth, with its urban population expected to reach 1.4 billion by 2050. While this transition offers economic potential, it is occurring alongside slow structural transformation and pervasive poverty. The paper highlights the rise of megacities—such as Lagos, Cairo, and Kinshasa—and warns that without integrated urban planning and inclusive economic growth, cities will face increasing slum proliferation and urban violence.

The document examines South African business activities in the DRC across sectors such as mining, telecommunications, and agriculture, highlighting both the positive developmental impacts and the significant operational challenges posed by corruption and bureaucracy.

The document examines Mozambique's reliance on FDI and overseas development assistance (ODA) for post-war reconstruction. While megaprojects in extractives and infrastructure have driven GDP growth, the paper highlights a disconnect between this growth and human development indicators. It analyzes the legal frameworks governing mining and hydrocarbons, the impact of coal and natural gas projects, and the challenges of agricultural development through initiatives like ProSAVANA. The author argues for leveraging the technology and infrastructure of the extractive sector to support agriculture and local community prosperity.

The report identifies climate change as a significant threat to Tanzania's development due to rising temperatures, sea-level rise, and altered precipitation patterns. While the government has established institutional structures and strategies, the report emphasizes the need for better implementation and integration of climate change into sectoral policies, particularly in water, health, agriculture, and disaster risk reduction.