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This policy brief examines the current state of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure in Africa, highlighting a significant deficit that hinders development. While private sector investment and 'leapfrogging' to fibre-optic systems have driven progress, the continent still lags behind global averages in internet penetration, service quality, and affordability. The document recommends strategic policy interventions to improve rural access, enhance policy capacity, and expand the technical skills base to fully realize the benefits of the digital economy.

This policy brief argues for the institutionalisation of futures literacy, foresight, and anticipatory governance within the African mining sector to empower the implementation of the African Mining Vision (AMV). It proposes that the African Mineral Development Centre (AMDC) lead this effort by establishing a dedicated working group, creating a competency framework, and fostering partnerships to build adaptive capacities against global disruptors like the COVID-19 pandemic.

A statement by Natural Justice expressing solidarity with activists and communities facing racial, police, and state oppression, linking these struggles to the broader pursuit of environmental justice.

This policy brief from the African Center for Economic Transformation outlines ten priority policy areas to support Africa's economic recovery and long-term transformation following the COVID-19 pandemic. The recommendations are categorized into resource mobilization, governance, business environment, and digital innovation.

This policy brief summarises the book 'Africa First!' by Jakkie Cilliers, which analyses Africa's current development trajectory and proposes a roadmap to 2040. It argues that while human well-being indicators are improving, Africa is diverging further from the rest of the world in terms of average income and economic productivity due to an unproductive economic structure, slow demographic transition, and a lack of basic infrastructure.

This June 2020 report from the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the activities of the African Union's Peace and Security Council (PSC), focusing on regional coordination against COVID-19, the political and security situation in Somalia, institutional reforms within the AU Commission, and the challenges of borderland security and youth engagement.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the systemic barriers preventing women's meaningful participation in Africa's maritime sector. It argues that the maritime environment remains heavily male-dominated due to cultural, structural, and workplace obstacles, and suggests that the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda could provide a framework for increasing gender inclusion.

This policy brief examines the African Peer Review Mechanism's (APRM) goal of achieving universal accession by 2023, arguing that the organization must prioritize clearing its backlog of unreviewed members and improving the implementation of governance reforms over simply increasing membership numbers.

This briefing summarizes a May 2020 virtual dialogue between grassroots organizations, development partners, and donors focused on advancing locally led climate adaptation in Africa. The document outlines key messages for improving the relationship between donors and local actors, emphasizing the need for inclusive design, mutual trust, flexible funding, and long-term engagement to move beyond short-term project models.

This report outlines key priorities for Africa within the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, advocating for a shift toward natural capital accounting and nature-based solutions. It argues that the economic stimulus packages following the COVID-19 pandemic provide a unique window for a 'green stimulus' to restore ecological infrastructure and align development with the African Union's Agenda 2063.

This research paper examines the 'digital divide' in Africa, exacerbated by COVID-19 lockdowns, focusing on socio-economic barriers, infrastructure deficits, information access, and government-mandated internet shutdowns. It proposes a multi-stakeholder approach involving governments, the corporate sector, the African Union, and global bodies to treat internet access as a basic human right and prioritize infrastructure investment and affordability.

This guide by Natural Justice examines how COVID-19 lockdowns have been leveraged by governments and private entities to suppress environmental and land defenders, particularly in Africa, and provides strategic advice for maintaining activism and safety during the pandemic.

This submission by Natural Justice to the UN Special Rapporteur in the Field of Cultural Rights details the impacts of climate change on indigenous peoples and local communities in Africa. It highlights how environmental shifts and land-use changes threaten bio-cultural resources and traditional knowledge, while presenting 'Community Protocols' as a tool for adaptation and the protection of cultural rights. The document also outlines the severe risks faced by cultural and environmental rights defenders in Africa, including violence, criminalization, and land grabbing.

The May 2020 Peace & Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the African Union's (AU) challenges in the Sahel, the human rights risks associated with COVID-19 states of emergency, the adaptation of peace support operations (PSOs) to the pandemic, and the economic threat to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It also analyzes the potential shift in the global order and the need for Africa to reduce its dependence on external support.

This policy brief examines the tension between South Africa's Copyright Amendment Bill (CAB) and the United States' Generalised System of Preferences (GSP). It argues that the US uses GSP eligibility reviews to pressure developing nations into adopting US-oriented intellectual property laws, which may undermine national regulatory space and developmental goals.

This research paper evaluates the 2018 WHO global ambient air quality database, which tracks PM10 and PM2.5 levels across thousands of cities. It notes that while high-income regions report low pollution, low- and middle-income regions in Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America face high levels and resource barriers. The paper warns that the database has been used to draw misleading city-to-city comparisons and proposes improvements based on criteria like data completeness and quality control.

This fact sheet details a green bond issuance by Atlantica Yield (now Atlantica Sustainable Infrastructure), a UK-headquartered sustainable infrastructure company. The bond, issued on April 3, 2020, raised EUR 290 million (USD 320 million) via private placement to finance renewable energy projects and transmission lines.

This report examines the practice of requiring sitting presidents to resign or step aside before seeking re-election to mitigate the abuse of incumbency. Using case studies from Cabo Verde and Madagascar, the author argues that this mechanism helps level the electoral playing field and reduces post-electoral violence by improving the perceived integrity of the process.

This research paper examines the immediate and long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on Africa, arguing that the crisis accelerates the decline of the liberal international order and increases the vulnerability of smaller nations. The author outlines five key long-term risks—the unravelling of multilateralism, increased trade protectionism, the decline of development cooperation, a potential retreat from climate goals, and restricted human mobility—and proposes a coordinated African response focused on regional integration and proactive global governance reform.

FSD Africa has shifted to virtual technical support and remote work, closing its Nairobi offices to visitors and canceling travel and events due to COVID-19, while planning to adapt its strategy to address the pandemic's challenges.