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The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) argues that the Fourth Financing for Development Conference (FfD4), scheduled for July 2025, must explicitly include the taxation of natural resources in its agenda to enhance domestic resource mobilization in developing nations.

The March 2025 Peace & Security Council Report analyzes critical instability in South Sudan and Sudan, the African Union's (AU) struggles to manage post-coup transitions in several member states, and the shortcomings of AU election observer missions in 2024. It calls for the Peace and Security Council (PSC) to adopt more risk-based, high-level engagement strategies and improve internal coordination to prevent the fragmentation of states and the entrenchment of military juntas.

The World Resources Institute (WRI) describes a four-step monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) process developed for the TerraFund partnership to measure the impact of land restoration projects. This system utilizes the TerraMatch platform to collect geospatial data, field reports, and satellite imagery to track indicators such as tree survival, carbon sequestration, and job creation over six-year periods.

This report by the Stockholm Environment Institute, produced for the Africa-Europe Foundation, evaluates adaptation progress within the AU-EU partnership and provides recommendations for the European Union to restore trust and close the adaptation gap by COP30.

This research paper analyzes the potential for Nigeria to leverage methane mitigation in its oil and gas sector to achieve economic, social, and environmental gains. It highlights the country's strategic position as Africa's leading oil and gas producer and argues that reducing methane emissions can drive climate resilience, improve public health, and create green jobs while aligning with international climate commitments.

This research paper examines urban transportation challenges in Africa, using South Africa as a primary case study to illustrate the impact of colonial and apartheid legacies on infrastructure. It evaluates the effectiveness of high-cost rail projects versus Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems and the role of informal paratransit, while proposing policy interventions to improve accessibility and safety.

This research paper by the Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) examines the role of Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) in providing climate finance for South Africa's Just Energy Transition (JET). It focuses on the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), arguing that its current self-financing model and commercial risk appetite hinder its ability to provide the 'patient capital' necessary for green industrialisation and worker transitions. The paper proposes a shift toward recapitalisation via fiscal and monetary instruments, more concessional lending, and democratised governance to align the IDC with socially just and worker-centred climate goals.

This report summarizes a February 2025 policy dialogue event organized by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) and the Institute for Peace and Security Studies (IPSS). The discussion focused on the African Union's (AU) ability to reposition Africa within a shifting global order characterized by geopolitical disruptions, including the 'Trump 2.0' era. The panel identified critical barriers to Africa's strategic positioning, such as financial dependency on external donors, a disconnect between aging leadership and a young population, and a fragmented approach to global diplomacy. The report advocates for institutional reforms within the AU, a shift from focusing on historical reparations toward immediate economic and security stability, and the adoption of a unified foreign policy to increase the continent's global influence.

This policy brief argues that Africa must transition from a reliance on international financial institutions to a model of economic, mineral, and energy sovereignty to unlock the full potential of its mining sector. The authors propose a 'resource leverage strategy' to exchange mineral access for technology transfer and local beneficiation, while advocating for the creation of independent African financial institutions and standardized resource reporting to reduce dependency on the Global North.

This briefing note by the Forum on Trade, Environment, & the SDGs (TESS) and E3G examines the intersection of global trade, climate policy, and the energy transition. It analyzes how the shift away from fossil fuels reshapes geopolitical power and trade flows, highlighting the disproportionate risks and opportunities for developing countries. The document advocates for proactive trade policy reforms, increased financial support, and international coordination to ensure an equitable transition that avoids protectionism and supports climate-resilient development in the Global South.

The report by the Africa Policy Research Institute (APRI) analyzes the landscape of bilateral and multilateral agreements between African states and global powers to secure critical minerals essential for the green energy and digital transitions. It examines the strategies of twelve key actors—including China, Russia, the EU, and the US—highlighting a trend toward resource diplomacy driven by national security concerns and the need to diversify supply chains away from dominant suppliers.

The research paper discusses the establishment of the AfCFTA Implementation Review Mechanism (AFIRM) in July 2024 to address delays in the implementation of the AfCFTA Agreement. It argues that the AFIRM's current focus on direct compliance assessments may cause state resistance and suggests adopting the WTO's TPRM approach—focusing on transparency and general trade policy—to ensure member buy-in and avoid the blocking of reports by the Council of Ministers.

This policy brief by the Africa Policy Research Institute analyzes the outcomes of COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, focusing on the implications for African nations. It evaluates the conference's results across key themes including climate finance, adaptation, loss and damage, energy transition, and gender inclusivity, arguing that while some incremental progress was made, the outcomes largely failed to meet the scale of the climate crisis and the specific needs of the Global South.

This research paper uses the JULES dynamic land surface model and the INFERNO fire module to analyze the impact of the 2015/16 El Niño event on global fire activity, burned areas, and carbon sinks, comparing observed conditions against mean climatological drivers.

This report by the Climate Bonds Initiative analyzes post-issuance reporting practices for Green, Social, and Sustainability (GSS) bonds, based on a sample of 75 entities that issued USD 1.4 trillion between 2020 and 2023. While reporting is widespread and generally high quality, the study identifies significant gaps in project-level granularity, impact methodology disclosure, and the quantitative linking of bond-level impacts to entity-level sustainability strategies.

This policy brief by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) examines the role of green guarantees in mobilizing private capital for the climate transition in emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs). It identifies key structural barriers—including complexity, lack of technical assistance, high costs, and time horizon misalignments—and presents case studies of innovative solutions from organizations such as the World Bank Group, Green Guarantee Company, TCX, GuarantCo, and a partnership between Sida and IFU.

This briefing by the African Food Systems Transformation Collective argues for the integration of agroecology into the Water-Energy-Food (WEF) nexus framework to accelerate the transition toward sustainable and resilient African food systems. It positions philanthropic investment as a critical catalyst to overcome the fragmentation and short-term funding cycles that currently hinder the scaling of agroecological practices.

This briefing by the African Food Systems Transformation Collective explores the use of 'agroecological territories' and integrated landscape approaches to transition African food systems toward sustainability. It argues for a holistic framework that connects agricultural practices, biodiversity conservation, and embedded food systems to address systemic environmental degradation and food insecurity.

This briefing by the African Food Systems Transformation Collective examines the intersection of trade policy and the transition to agroecological food systems in Africa. It argues that current trade regimes, including the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), often prioritize industrial agriculture and neoliberal orthodoxy, which can marginalize smallholder farmers and undermine food sovereignty. The document advocates for a shift toward 'territorial markets' and regional trade policies that align with agroecological principles to enhance food security, nutrition, and environmental resilience.

This policy brief by the African Food Systems Transformation Collective argues for a 'deep, just transition' approach to African food systems that prioritizes human rights, structural equity, and agroecology over industrialization. Using South Africa as a cautionary example of the failures of industrial agri-food systems, the document provides recommendations for philanthropic organizations to fund multi-sectoral coalitions, grassroots agency, and long-term, context-based research and advocacy.