Search Climate Insights Directory

This research paper examines the implementation and failure of the arms embargo imposed on Somalia in 1992, using it as a case study to identify the necessary conditions for the effective enforcement of similar sanctions across Africa.

This monograph by Godfrey M Musila examines the International Criminal Court's (ICC) operations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), focusing on the cooperation between the court and the state, the influence of politics on the ICC's work, and the perceptions of the ICC within Congolese society.

This document is an introduction to a monograph titled "Boundaries of Peace Operations: The African Dimension," which compiles edited texts from a series of workshops held in 1999 in Prague, Harare, and Pretoria. The text examines the conceptual and doctrinal gaps in peace support operations, specifically contrasting the limited scope of UN peacekeeping with the more robust peace enforcement capabilities of African coalitions. It highlights the influence of Cold War military doctrines and colonial legacies on current African military approaches and argues for the need for a synthesized, viable doctrine for multinational peace operations in Africa.

This document reports on a 2003 workshop by the Institute for Security Studies regarding the Sustainable Livelihoods approach in post-conflict regions. It identifies a 'deadly triad' of conflict, HIV/AIDS, and food insecurity in Africa and argues that sustainable peace requires broad-based economic recovery rather than elite-focused policies. It highlights the operational challenges for aid agencies, including the need for local beneficiary involvement and the integration of humanitarian aid with long-term development, while noting that aid is inherently political.

This research paper by Berouk Mesfin provides an African perspective on the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), evaluating US foreign policy toward Africa, the design and activities of AFRICOM, and the resulting implications for both the US and Africa.

This policy brief, produced by the African Futures project, uses International Futures (IFs) software to model the potential for a 'Green Revolution' in Africa. It argues that while aggressive policy interventions could make Africa a net food exporter within a decade, such production increases must be coupled with developmental policies to ensure food reaches low-income Africans rather than being exported to rich countries, and must be supported by improvements in water and sanitation to realize health gains.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the negative consequences of treating intra-African migration as a security threat, specifically focusing on the experience of Agadez in Niger.

This research paper by Prof. TD Potgieter examines the historical strategic setting of maritime security in the Indian Ocean, focusing on the transition from traditional trade patterns to European naval dominance and the role of sea power in empire building.

This monograph analyzes 'new security thinking' from the perspective of Africa and Southern Africa, aiming to address Eurocentric biases in existing literature and demonstrate the practical utility of these theories to security practitioners.

This policy brief outlines the development of a normative framework for the governance of climate finance at national and sub-national levels in developing countries. It aims to provide guidance on fund mobilisation, implementing institutions, and disbursement to ensure climate finance serves as a just and effective mechanism for addressing climate change impacts.

This policy brief, based on an Institute for Security Studies (ISS) report, examines the governance of climate finance in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. It focuses on how climate finance addresses the needs of vulnerable populations in these regions, specifically analyzing the balance between adaptation and mitigation, the distinction between public and private financing, and the influence of regional development banks.

This policy brief from the African Futures project presents two scenarios for education in Africa, comparing a base case with a positive scenario based on the development rates of best-practice African countries.

This research paper examines the legal perspectives surrounding the effects of climate change in Africa, specifically focusing on the role of environmental law and legal mechanisms as tools to enforce policy decisions and shape human behavior regarding the environment.

A statement by the Institute for Security Studies arguing that African nations must prevent the adoption of a new Protocol to the Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW) that would weaken the existing 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM).

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies argues for a strong Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) to address the poorly regulated international transfer of conventional arms, which the author claims costs hundreds of thousands of lives annually. It references a failed UN negotiation in July 2012 and urges African states to prioritize specific text areas at a subsequent conference scheduled for March 2013 to ensure the preservation of human security.

The Annual Review of the African Union Peace and Security Council 2013/2014 provides a critical analysis of the Peace and Security Council's (PSC) decisions and responses to a resurgence of conflict and violent instability across Africa in 2013.

This conclusion section of a research paper examines the economic and political role of diasporas and remittances in Africa and other micro-states, highlighting the tension between the survival necessity of remittances and their potential for misuse in money laundering or funding criminal activities.

This report documents a three-day workshop held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 14 to 16 October 2013, focused on developing conflict-sensitivity guidelines for climate change adaptation (CCA) policy in Africa. The event, convened by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), the Wilson Center, IRG/Engility, and ICF International, aimed to build a community of practice at the nexus of climate change, conflict, and development. The workshop explored the application of 'Do No Harm' (DNH) principles and USAID's Climate Change and Conflict Annex to ensure that adaptation efforts do not inadvertently exacerbate social tensions but instead serve as platforms for peacebuilding.

The Peace and Security Council Report No 176 analyzes the outcomes of the 38th AU Summit in February 2025, focusing on leadership transitions, the chairship of Angola, and the ongoing challenges of the 'Silencing the Guns' agenda. It highlights the election of Mahamoud Ali Youssouf as AUC chair and the debate over rotational versus permanent membership in the AU Peace and Security Council (PSC).

The Valletta Declaration outlines the establishment and objectives of the International Institute for Justice and the Rule of Law Foundation (the Institute), a domestic foundation based in Malta. The Institute is designed as an international center to strengthen criminal justice and rule of law institutions, with a specific focus on countering terrorism and transnational criminal activities through training and capacity-building, particularly for countries in North, West, and East Africa and the Middle East.