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The document examines Africa's shift toward diverse global partnerships to foster development, peace, and security. It analyzes the structural goals of the African Economic Community (AEC) and the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) while critiquing the impact of globalization and 'economic imperialism'. The author details specific frameworks such as the Africa-India Forum, the Joint Africa-EU Strategy, the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), and the Africa-South America Summit, noting a 'new scramble for Africa' driven by the demand for natural resources. The paper argues that while these partnerships offer opportunities, African nations must reclaim responsibility for their own development paths to avoid repeating colonial patterns of exploitation.

The paper argues that Botswana's success is not due to minerals alone but to a combination of professional public institutions, disciplined leadership, and the integration of traditional Tswana democratic values with modern governance. It highlights the role of the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning in linking revenue to specific projects and the strategic partnership with De Beers. However, the authors warn that this 'miracle' is threatened by high income inequality, over-reliance on diamond exports, a high HIV/Aids prevalence, and an excessively powerful executive presidency.

The document analyzes Botswana's 'miracle' of economic growth and political stability following the discovery of diamonds. It attributes this success to a professional, merit-based bureaucracy, the integration of traditional Tswana consultative values with modern democratic principles, and disciplined leadership. However, it warns that this image is challenged by persistent poverty, high income inequality (Gini index of 60.5), a 23.8% unemployment rate, and an over-reliance on diamond exports, which account for approximately one-third of the GDP.

The Bellagio Framework, developed by the World Resources Institute in 2009, provides a systematic approach to climate adaptation by identifying core functions all countries must perform. It categorizes these into planning, management, and service delivery functions to help governments and funders assess strengths, identify gaps, and coordinate investments.

The document outlines the efforts by the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) to revise its 1976 Arbitration Rules to address a lack of transparency in investor-State disputes. It notes that while these rules are primarily for commercial disputes, they are frequently used in investment cases involving public interests such as environmental and health protection. Following a consensus reached on June 27, 2008, UNCITRAL's Working Group II is mandated to develop transparency rules for investor-State dispute resolution starting in September 2009.

The report analyzes entrepreneurship in Northern Canada, noting that while small and medium-sized enterprises (SMMEs) dominate the business landscape in the Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut, they face distinct obstacles compared to southern businesses. It highlights the intersection of northern entrepreneurship with social and environmental goals and explores 'indigenous economics,' which emphasizes community values and holistic wealth over simple profit. The document argues that fostering a 'creative class' and improving local capacity and infrastructure are essential for sustainable economic development in the region.

The report details a December 2006 workshop used to test the first section of the CSC Manual, 'Assessing Conflict'. Participants identified and prioritised conflicts around Queen Elizabeth National Park (QENP), specifically focusing on pastoralist encroachment and policy implementation gaps. Using tools like Conflict Trees, Conflict Mapping, and Stakeholder Analysis, the workshop identified root causes—such as land scarcity and ethnic rivalry—and proposed entry points for conflict resolution and sensitivity strategies for the CARE REPA programme.

The document details a capacity-building workshop for ICCN staff and partners to analyze and resolve conflicts in Virunga National Park. It identifies three primary conflicts: lack of revenue sharing, deforestation and encroachment, and military involvement in illegal activities. The report outlines conflict mapping tools, actor analysis, and proposed strategies such as creating collaboration frameworks, reorganizing fisheries on Lake Edward, and initiating community self-reliance projects.

The manual defines conflict-sensitive conservation (CSC) as programming that accounts for the causes, actors, and impacts of conflict to avoid exacerbating tensions and to support peace. It outlines a three-step institutional process for organizations to adopt CSC—assessing capacity, allocating human resources, and developing guiding principles—and a two-step project-level process involving conflict analysis and the design of sensitive solutions. The manual emphasizes that conservation can inadvertently fuel conflict by restricting resource access, imposing economic burdens, or distributing benefits unequally, but it can also foster peace by addressing root causes of resource scarcity and creating non-threatening spaces for dialogue.

The manual introduces 'Conflict-Sensitive Conservation' (CSC), a process designed for conservation organizations operating in or near protected areas, particularly in conflict-prone regions. It argues that while conservation can prevent conflict by managing scarce resources, poorly designed interventions—such as restricting resource access or unequal benefit distribution—can inadvertently trigger or fuel violence. The guide outlines a three-step institutional process to adopt CSC (assessing capacity, allocating human resources, and defining principles) and a two-step programmatic process (conflict analysis and the design/monitoring of solutions). It provides specific tools for analysis, including conflict trees, conflict mapping, and stakeholder profiling, and emphasizes the importance of gender-sensitive approaches to peacebuilding.

The report details a capacity-building workshop for the ICCN focused on managing natural resource conflicts in Kahuzi-Biega National Park. It identifies three primary conflict categories: park-population tensions, disputes over resource access, and intra/inter-institutional conflicts. Key drivers include the park's expansion without community consensus, the presence of armed groups like the FDLR, and the displacement of Batwa pygmies. The workshop utilized tools such as conflict trees and stakeholder analysis to prioritize strategies, identifying institutional capacity building for the army and ICCN, co-management, and the complete delimitation of the park as top priorities.

The document highlights how two decades of conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have created a humanitarian crisis and severely threatened Virunga National Park. It argues that the illegal trade in park resources, specifically charcoal, funds violence and leads to deforestation, while the displacement of populations increases pressure on the ecosystem. The author contends that environmental governance must be integrated into any peace agreements to prevent natural resources from continuing to finance conflict and to support future economic recovery.

The research finds that the location of natural resources relative to the conflict zone is critical to determining conflict severity. Gemstone mining and hydrocarbon production within a conflict zone are strongly associated with higher total combat deaths, with secessionist conflicts in hydrocarbon-rich regions being the most severe. Conversely, drug cultivation in the conflict zone and hydrocarbon production located outside the conflict zone are associated with lower combat deaths and reduced conflict intensity. The study concludes that resources influence severity by altering the incentives and organizational structures of both rebel groups and the state.

The paper argues that Norway's success is due to a combination of high-quality institutions existing prior to oil discovery, a stable democratic system with proportional representation, and a commitment to social welfare and intergenerational equity through the Norwegian Petroleum Fund.

The report examines the Niger Delta crisis, arguing that the transition from a regional to a federal control of oil revenue after 1956, combined with environmental degradation by oil multinationals and state failure in governance, led to systemic instability. It identifies a 30% loss in daily oil production due to militant attacks and recommends environmental assessments, community compensation, and inclusive dialogue to achieve peace.

The document examines the persistence of a 'predatory political and governance culture' in the DRC, tracing it from the colonial era and Mobutu's dictatorship through the 2003–2006 transition. It finds that power-sharing arrangements under the Sun City Agreement effectively removed checks and balances, enabling widespread looting of state assets, mining resources, and public funds. Despite the introduction of new anti-corruption laws and the creation of bodies like the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (CELC), these efforts failed due to a lack of political will, institutional dysfunction, and a reliance on donor-driven initiatives without local ownership.

The paper argues that agricultural and marine commodities can function as conflict resources, similar to oil or diamonds, by providing funding for rebel groups and governments through trade taxation. It highlights that commodity price volatility and competition over land and water increase political instability and conflict risks. The author recommends that the UN Security Council impose sanctions on these resources when linked to conflict financing, broaden the mandates of UN Expert Panels, and ensure peacekeeping missions are equipped to monitor and secure natural resources.

The document serves as a resource for Saskatchewan's First Nations to navigate environmental assessments (EA), detailing the roles of government, proponents, and communities. It outlines the legal framework of the 'duty to consult' and provides practical strategies for participation, including funding sources and the preparation of Statements of Concern.

The report argues that agricultural and marine resources, often dismissed as secondary in conflict analysis, can fuel violence through the taxation of trade, the destabilizing effect of price volatility, and competition over essential inputs like land and water. Through case studies in Côte d’Ivoire, Somalia, and Central Asia, it demonstrates how rebel groups and warlords extract funds from cocoa, bananas, and fisheries. It also highlights how commodity dependence and price shocks undermine political stability and how the pursuit of thirsty crops like cotton exacerbates interstate tensions over water sharing. The authors provide fourteen policy recommendations, including the use of UN sanctions on agricultural resources and increased transparency in trade.

The document analyzes the transition of Liberia from post-conflict security to a fragile peace, focusing on the collaboration between the Government of Liberia (GoL) and the United Nations (UNMIL and UNCT). It details a 'dual-track' approach to peacebuilding: infusing conflict-sensitive concerns into existing policy frameworks like the Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS) and the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF), while simultaneously developing targeted programming via the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF). The author argues that effective peacebuilding requires building consensus on 'conflict factors'—such as poor leadership, weak justice systems, and mismanagement of natural resources—and integrating these into national planning. The paper concludes that coherence in peacebuilding is a matter of degree rather than an end state, recommending that the UN include independent conflict specialists in mission planning and link mission drawdown benchmarks to government institutional capacity rather than just security indicators.