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The document argues that exporting pesticides banned in their country of origin to Africa and Central America violates the Bamako Convention, the Central American Agreement, and the Basel Convention, as these substances are defined as hazardous waste by the importing nations. It asserts that European states and other Basel Convention parties (such as Canada, China, and Russia) are failing their international legal and human rights obligations by allowing this trade, which harms health and ecosystems in low- and middle-income countries.

The report argues that pesticides banned in their country of manufacture are classified as 'hazardous wastes' under the Bamako Convention and the Central American Agreement. Because many importing nations in Africa and Central America have monist legal systems or specific domestic laws incorporating these definitions, the report concludes that exporting such substances from Basel Convention parties (including the EU, UK, and Switzerland) violates the Basel Convention, international customary law, and the extraterritorial human rights obligation to protect the right to health.

The report presents the 2024 South African F-List, detailing 42 contracts between local agencies and fossil fuel clients, and highlights the reputational risks of such partnerships. It critiques the role of PR in masking the environmental and health impacts of companies like Sasol and TotalEnergies, while calling for industry awards like The Loeries to stop rewarding fossil fuel advertising.

The report identifies the residential sector as the largest global source of black carbon (BC), accounting for 48% of emissions in 2017, followed by transportation (24%) and industry. While emissions have declined in North America, Europe, and China due to stricter standards and fuel switching, these gains are being offset by increases in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, where reliance on unclean cooking fuels remains high. The document highlights critical hotspots, including eastern China and the Indo-Gangetic Plain, and notes that global BC reductions are not currently on track to meet the Paris Climate Agreement's 1.5°C warming limit.

The document argues that expanding fossil gas production in Africa is a 'fallacy' that risks creating stranded assets, increasing national debt, and exacerbating climate vulnerability. It highlights that gas reserves are concentrated in a few nations, meaning expansion will not benefit the continent broadly. Furthermore, it asserts that fossil gas infrastructure often involves high foreign ownership and poor contractual terms, pulling wealth out of Africa. The report contrasts this with the potential of renewables, noting that Africa possesses vast solar and wind resources that could provide cheaper, more accessible energy and more sustainable jobs. Environmental risks cited include the destruction of biodiversity hotspots, such as mangroves and coral reefs, and the health impacts of gas flaring and fracking. The briefing concludes that Africa should leapfrog extractive energy systems in favor of a clean, distributed energy future supported by international climate finance.

The document provides the technical annexes for the Forest Declaration Assessment, detailing the definitions and methodologies used to measure deforestation, forest degradation, and restoration potential. It establishes a 'gross zero' deforestation benchmark for 2030, requiring a linear 10 percent annual reduction in loss relative to a 2018-2020 baseline. The methodology incorporates satellite data and econometric models to estimate GHG emissions from forest loss and identifies 'cost-effective' restoration potential based on a carbon price threshold of USD 100/tCO2eq. A provided table lists the 30 countries with the highest absolute levels of deforestation in 2021, showing varied trends such as a 3% increase in Brazil and a 25% decrease in Indonesia compared to the baseline.

The study examines how COVID-19 affected the fiscal positions and debt sustainability of MEFMI member countries, noting a sharp increase in average debt-to-GDP ratios from 63.6% in 2019 to 70.6% in 2020. It highlights the critical role of Local Currency Bond Markets (LCBMs) and international initiatives like the Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI) in maintaining stability. The report identifies significant gaps in operational risk management, specifically the absence of business continuity plans in most member states, and recommends strengthening institutional capacity, technology investment, and the development of transparent debt management strategies to build future resilience.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused a sharp economic downturn in the MEFMI region, characterized by contracting GDP growth, widening fiscal deficits, and deteriorating external positions. To mitigate these effects, member states implemented a range of fiscal measures, such as VAT exemptions and social protection transfers, and monetary interventions, including cutting policy rates and reducing statutory reserve requirements. However, these responses, combined with lower revenues and higher borrowing costs, accelerated public debt accumulation and eroded debt-carrying capacity across the region. The document emphasizes the need for sustainable debt management, fiscal buffers, and economic diversification to build resilience against future shocks.

The report analyzes how MEFMI countries utilized external financing, including emergency facilities from the IMF and World Bank, to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. It details the shift in creditor composition toward bilateral and private lenders, the deterioration of debt risk ratings, and the specific policy responses adopted by member states. The document concludes with ten key lessons for public debt management during crises, emphasizing the importance of official external finance, operational risk management, and transparency.

The report examines how the COVID-19 pandemic affected local currency bond markets (LCBMs) across MEFMI member countries. It finds that while the crisis increased government borrowing needs and operational risks, most countries maintained stability through fiscal, monetary, and financial policy interventions. Key findings include a general increase in the average time to maturity of domestic debt, a shift in investor behavior toward safe assets, and the use of liability management operations like rollovers and switches. The document concludes that deepening LCBMs, strengthening debt management strategies, and improving market transparency are essential for resilience against future crises.

The policy brief examines the nature of China's energy investments in Africa, contrasting upstream extractive projects with downstream power generation. It highlights a problematic bias toward large-scale hydroelectric dams, which the author suggests may be a way for China to export its own domestic overcapacity in dam building while ignoring environmental and geopolitical risks. The document calls for African agency in agenda-setting to transition toward greener technologies like solar and fuel cells, ensuring that investments create local jobs and support structural transformation rather than merely facilitating resource export.

The report establishes a positive correlation between inclusive governance—measured by Voice & Accountability (VA) scores—and broad-based development, measured by the Human Development Index (HDI), across global, continental, and regional scales. It argues that accountable governance fosters political stability and consistent policymaking, which in turn sustains economic dynamism. Using Angola as a case study, the document illustrates how the repression of participation and human rights abuses can lead to the stagnation or reversal of human development outcomes. The report concludes that private sector companies have a financial and reputational incentive to support inclusive governance, anti-corruption policies, and civil society capacity building to mitigate 'above-ground risk' and secure long-term investments.

The report examines the 'resource curse' in Southern Africa, specifically regarding LNG projects in Mozambique, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. It highlights a gap between Africa's significant gas discoveries—accounting for nearly 40% of global discoveries in the last decade—and actual production due to socio-political instability. The document argues that without structural democratic reform and meaningful community consultation, resource wealth fails to translate into broad-based development, as seen in Angola. It recommends that governments and investors prioritize 'Free, Prior, Informed and Continuous Consent' and align mining projects with the Africa Mining Vision and SADC Protocol on Energy to avoid conflict and environmental degradation.

Global Witness has withdrawn from the Kimberley Process (KP), stating that the international certification scheme has become an 'outdated' and 'cynical corporate accreditation scheme'. While the KP initially helped break links between diamonds and conflict, the organization argues it now lacks integrity due to a failure to hold governments accountable and a lack of independent verification in the diamond industry's 'system of warranties'. Specific failures cited include the KP's inability to address conflict diamonds from Côte d'Ivoire, rule breaches by Venezuela, and state-sponsored violence in Zimbabwe's Marange region. Global Witness advocates for a transition from voluntary schemes to legally mandated international standards for minerals supply chain controls, including third-party audits and public disclosure.

A Global Witness investigation warns that the rehabilitation of the Lobito Corridor railway in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) threatens low-income residents of Kolwezi with forced evictions. The report highlights a critical gap in legal protections, as the project is governed by the 1977 Law of Expropriation for Public Utility—which only requires compensation—rather than the more stringent 2002 Mining Code. Legal ambiguities regarding land titles, particularly those involving the national rail company (SNCC), and disputes over the width of the railway's buffer zone further expose residents to displacement. The report argues that the EU's Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) could provide a mechanism for accountability for companies like Trafigura and Mota-Engil, provided the law is not weakened by proposed amendments. It concludes with recommendations for the EU, the DRC government, and investors to implement meaningful consultations, independent monitoring, and higher resettlement standards.

The document outlines a framework for analyzing payments made by oil, gas, and mining companies to governments. It details ten specific tests—ranging from simple checks of payment types to complex revenue forecast comparisons—designed to identify 'red flags' or discrepancies that may indicate revenue loss due to bad deals, tax avoidance, or lack of enforcement. The guide emphasizes the use of supplementary data, such as fiscal terms and international commodity prices, to verify the accuracy of company disclosures.

A Global Witness and Public Eye investigation reveals that the world's top three commodity traders—Vitol, Glencore, and Trafigura—engaged middlemen linked to Brazil's 'Car Wash' corruption scandal. The report details how these intermediaries, including the 'Deacon of Bribes' and professional money-launderers, allegedly facilitated bribery schemes and insider information trades to secure oil and fuel contracts with Petrobras. While the companies deny wrongdoing, the report highlights 'corruption red flags' and calls for investigations by authorities in the UK, US, and Switzerland.

The CAPA Initiative, funded by Global Affairs Canada, implements nature-based solutions (NbS) to protect biodiversity and strengthen climate resilience. In Belize, activities focus on reforestation in the Maya Forest Corridor and coral reef health in marine reserves. In Fiji, interventions include flood mitigation buffers and sustainable fisheries. In the Greater Virunga Landscape (Uganda), the project focuses on restoring agricultural lands and promoting climate-resilient livelihoods. In the Kavango–Zambezi Landscape (Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, and Angola), efforts target forest restoration and the stabilization of wetlands and headwaters. Global-level support is provided by IISD through research, capacity strengthening, and gender-responsive approaches.

The Climate Adaptation and Protected Areas (CAPA) Initiative implements nature-based solutions for climate adaptation across the Kavango-Zambezi (KAZA) landscape, which spans Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The initiative focuses on restoring forest cover, stabilizing water sources, and restocking native wildlife, while providing technical and financial training to women, youth, and persons with disabilities. Specific project sites include the Cuando River basin in Angola, the Sioma Ngwezi and Mosi-Oa-Tunya ecosystems in Zambia, Bwabwata National Park in Namibia, and areas around Hwange and Chizarira National Parks in Zimbabwe.

The document provides a geographic overview of the top 15 banana-producing countries as of 2016, categorizing production by harvest area and the level of VSS compliance, ranging from conventional production to VSS compliant.