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The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) has acknowledged a CAD 25 million investment from the Government of Canada's 2022 Federal Budget for the IISD Experimental Lakes Area (IISD-ELA). This funding is intended to support research into freshwater threats, including climate change and microplastics, and to facilitate collaborations with Indigenous communities and the African Center for Aquatic Research and Education.

The report finds that East Africa remains fragile due to violent extremism, insurgency, and resource-based conflicts, despite governance progress in some states. It highlights the prevalence of unregistered firearms, particularly in Somalia, and the role of anocracies in driving political instability. The document maps the overlapping mandates of regional organisations like the EAC and IGAD and recommends stronger inter-REC coordination and standardised regional monitoring to address information gaps.

The author argues that DDR processes often fail because they prioritize the visible technical aspects of disarmament and demobilisation over the difficult task of reintegration. In West Africa and the Great Lakes region, 'conflict economies' and the desire of local actors to retain power undermine peace accords. The document suggests that without transitioning from a conflict economy to a peace economy and addressing political grievances, DDR cannot prevent a return to violence.

The Netherlands maintains a foreign policy focused on internal European integration and a selective, value-added approach to African development. It is a significant global donor of Official Development Assistance (ODA), pledging at least 50% of its bilateral budget to Africa, with priority given to the Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes region. The document highlights the Netherlands' role in promoting African priorities within the EU and its long-standing historical, economic, and defense ties with South Africa.