Search Climate Insights Directory

This executive summary introduces a volume titled 'Society Under Siege: Crime, Violence and Illegal Weapons,' which examines the intersection of transnational organized crime, the proliferation of light weapons, and intra-state conflict, with a specific focus on Africa and Southern Africa.

This concluding chapter of 'Invisible Stakeholders' argues that children and youth in Africa are not merely victims of conflict but active agents of change and transformation. The author contends that viewing them solely as victims obscures the dynamics of conflict and ignores how young people make choices that impact the trajectories of war. The text examines the socio-economic and political drivers of youth mobilization, the failure of disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR) processes, and the influence of global economic structures on African stability.

This research paper by Clarence Tshitereke of the Institute for Security Studies examines the challenges of political party funding in South Africa and internationally. It analyzes the tension between public and private funding, the risks of corruption and 'influence peddling' associated with private donations, and the specific dangers of foreign contributions. The author argues that South Africa's young democracy is vulnerable due to a lack of disclosure requirements for private funding and suggests various regulatory mechanisms to secure democratic integrity.

A country fact sheet providing basic demographic, political, and economic data for Zambia, including its legal system, governance structure, and natural resources.

This report chapter examines the incidence and nature of crime in Zambia, focusing on the challenges of data collection, high levels of perceived corruption, drug and human trafficking, and the complexities of illegal migration. It highlights a systemic failure in the criminal justice system, where reporting and conviction rates vary significantly by province, and identifies corruption as a pervasive issue across public institutions, particularly within the police service.

This report, based on a 2004 workshop in Accra, Ghana, analyzes the evolution of Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR) programs in Africa. It examines the transition of DDR from vague mandates in the late 1990s to highly specific programs by 2004, highlighting the role of UN peacekeeping missions and the critical need for integrated planning, qualitative indicators for reintegration, and coordination with national recovery strategies.

This monograph, edited by Hussein Solomon and published by the Institute for Security Studies in May 1997, examines the evolution, principles, and challenges of South African foreign policy following the transition to democracy in 1994. It analyzes the tension between the government's declared commitment to human rights and democracy and its pragmatic bilateral relations with states such as Cuba, Libya, and the People's Republic of China. The text explores South Africa's role as a regional hegemon in Southern Africa, its engagement with the African continent, and the theoretical debate over whether it should pursue 'middle power' or 'co-operative' leadership.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Swaziland. It analyzes how historical conflicts, porous borders, and failed disarmament processes have created a 'culture of violence' and fueled criminal activity in Southern Africa.

This monograph captures the proceedings of a seminar held in Pretoria on 18-19 April 2000, titled "Security in Africa: French and South African Perspectives." The document explores the intersection of national identity, human security, governance, and economic development, with a specific focus on the evolving roles of France and South Africa in African security. It analyzes various conflict zones, including the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Lesotho, and West Africa, while evaluating the effectiveness of regional and international intervention frameworks such as the UN, OAU, SADC, and ECOWAS.

This report assesses the legislative and institutional frameworks for combating organised crime across the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region, specifically evaluating their alignment with the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organised Crime (Palermo Convention) signed in December 2000.

This monograph by Afua Twum-Danso examines the phenomenon of child soldiering in Africa, challenging the notion that it is a product of African culture. Instead, the author argues that the recruitment and deployment of children are driven by socio-economic instability, political agendas, and pragmatic military strategies. The report provides a comprehensive overview of recruitment methods, the roles children play in conflicts, and the long-term physical and psychological consequences of their participation, with a specific focus on the often-overlooked experiences of girl soldiers.

This policy brief, produced by the Institute for Security Studies as part of the African Futures Project, uses the International Futures (IFs) model to analyze the impact of improving water and sanitation access across Africa. It argues that an aggressive annual improvement rate of just under 2 percentage points could significantly reduce child malnutrition and infant mortality, increase GDP, and lower the probability of state failure by 2050.

This report, produced by the Institute for Security Studies in collaboration with the Southern African Regional Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation (SARPCCO), provides a comprehensive review of organised criminal activities in 12 southern African countries. It identifies a strong nexus between organised crime and corruption, noting that the region's porous borders and economic disparities facilitate the transnational movement of drugs, stolen vehicles, counterfeit goods, and endangered species. The report emphasizes that while some crimes are local, the most serious activities are transnational and often underpinned by systemic corruption within law enforcement and government institutions.

This research paper analyzes the South African Defence Review process (1996–1998) and the 1995 Defence White Paper, arguing that while the process was historically inclusive and democratic, the resulting force design relied too heavily on traditional Western concepts of 'primary function' (territorial sovereignty) at the expense of more frequent 'secondary functions' (internal stability and regional support).

This research paper by Rocky Williams critiques the application of Western civil-military relations theories to the African context, arguing that formal institutional mechanisms are often insufficient for ensuring civil control. The author proposes a more flexible 'collaborative-partnership' model that integrates both objective (formal/legal) and subjective (informal/relational) forms of control, drawing on evidence from Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries to demonstrate how political partnerships and shared value frameworks maintain stability.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies examines the operational challenges facing the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Organ for Politics, Defence and Security (OPDS). It analyzes the Organ's evolution since its 1996 creation, focusing on the tension between state sovereignty and regional collaboration, the impact of socio-economic crises like HIV/AIDS on security forces, and the limited administrative capacity of the SADC Secretariat. The authors argue that while the region possesses strong political solidarity and a comprehensive security architecture, its efficacy is hindered by financial constraints and a precarious international environment.

This research paper by Lauren Hutton, published by the Institute for Security Studies in February 2015, interrogates the continued relevance of peacebuilding within external interventions in Africa. The author argues that current peacebuilding efforts are often limited because they fail to address the radical restructuring of political and economic power, instead reinforcing existing inequalities and enabling autocratic governance through the building of state institutions that can be used for predation and control.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the precarious state of the peace process in Angola as of April 1998. It examines the historical roots of the conflict, the failure of previous peace accords, the clandestine networks supplying weapons to UNITA, and the potential scenarios for the country's future, ranging from renewed military conflict to a fragile political transition.

This research paper by Mark Malan of the Institute for Security Studies examines the institutional confusion and legal ambiguities surrounding the Southern African Development Community (SADC) as it attempted to transition from an economic coordination body to a regional security arrangement. The author argues that the lack of a formal structure for the proposed SADC Organ for Politics, Defence and Security has allowed member states to justify unilateral or small-group military interventions in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Lesotho under a 'mythical' regional mandate, often bypassing UN Security Council authorization.

This research paper examines the relationship between the extraction of precious stones—specifically diamonds, coltan, and gold—and the perpetuation of armed conflicts in Southern Africa, with a focus on Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It analyzes how these resources fund rebel movements and governments, the challenges law enforcement faces in policing illicit trade, and proposes regulatory reforms to decouple resource wealth from conflict.