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This report, based on the 2023 Energy Access Investment Forum (EAIF), outlines the potential and challenges of green mini-grids in sub-Saharan Africa. It emphasizes the need for patient growth capital, improved regulatory frameworks, and the integration of productive uses of energy to ensure the commercial viability and sustainability of distributed renewable energy (DRE) solutions.

This guidance note, published by the Global Resilience Partnership in December 2023, examines 24 marginal, small-scale initiatives termed "Seeds" within African food systems. The document analyzes how these initiatives contribute to equity and sustainability, the barriers they encounter, and how development partners can better support them to achieve systemic transformation.

The December 2023/January 2024 edition of the Peace & Security Council Report evaluates the African Union's (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC) performance in 2023, highlighting a trend toward discussing thematic issues over sensitive country crises. It examines the challenges of consensus-based decision-making, the upcoming 2024 AU chairship and PSC membership elections, and the potential impact of the UN's New Agenda for Peace on African security architecture.

This background note provides energy production and demand forecasts for Africa and the global community up to 2043, based on the International Futures (IFs) forecasting platform. It details the transition of energy sources, the growth of African energy demand driven by population increases, and the status of fossil fuel reserves and renewable energy projects across the continent.

This background note from the Institute for Security Studies analyzes Africa's energy export and import trends under a 'Current Path' forecast up to 2043, highlighting the contrast between a few major energy exporters and a majority of countries dependent on imports.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs provides recommendations for African Union (AU) member states to develop a comprehensive e-commerce blueprint within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). It emphasizes the need for a unified African position in international negotiations, a proactive strategy for digital taxation, and the harmonisation of fragmented regional regulations to avoid Africa becoming a 'rule taker' in the global digital economy.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies examines how violent extremist groups, specifically JNIM and ISGS, exploit illicit activities in northern Benin to secure financial, logistical, and human resources. It documents established links to fuel smuggling, illegal hunting, and drug trafficking, while identifying emerging risks associated with artisanal gold mining and arms trafficking.

This research paper examines the illicit proliferation of small arms and light weapons (SALW) in the West African Sahel, focusing on Burkina Faso, Niger, and Nigeria. It identifies specific tri-border 'nodes' that facilitate trafficking and analyzes the socio-economic and security drivers, key actors, and the impact of these flows on regional stability and local economies.

This meeting report describes a remote training workshop held on November 23–24, 2022, by the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development (IGF) for members of Women in Mining of West Africa (WIMOWA). The workshop focused on gender equality and local content in the mining sector, specifically addressing women's participation in direct employment and local procurement.

The November 2022 Peace & Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies examines political instability in Tunisia, counter-terrorism strategies in the Sahel, and the security risks posed by acute food insecurity across Africa.

The 2022 analysis by Sustainable Energy for All identifies significant global gaps in cooling access, with 1.2 billion people at high risk and 2.47 billion at medium risk. The report highlights that the population at high risk increased by 28 million since 2021, driven by urbanization and the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in high-impact countries.

This briefing by the Stockholm Environment Institute argues that multilateral adaptation finance largely treats climate risk as a local phenomenon, failing to address transboundary and 'teleconnected' risks that cross borders through trade, financial flows, and shared ecosystems. The authors propose a shift toward 'systemic resilience'—interventions focusing on whole systems rather than individual countries—to deliver shared benefits for both recipient and contributor nations.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the priorities and challenges for African nations leading up to COP27 in Egypt. It highlights the continent's push for climate justice, increased financial support for adaptation and loss and damage, and a 'just transition' that allows for the temporary use of natural gas to ensure energy security.

This scoping report by FSD Africa evaluates the feasibility of developing a green bond market within the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU). It identifies significant barriers, including underdeveloped regional financial markets, a lack of government-led climate initiatives, and limited stakeholder familiarity with international green bond standards. The report provides recommendations for capacity building, regulatory harmonization, and the identification of bankable green projects to attract both public and private investment for climate mitigation and adaptation.

The WAEMU Green Bond Scoping Report, published by FSD Africa in September 2022, evaluates the feasibility of developing a Green Bond market within the West African Economic and Monetary Union. The report identifies significant potential for sovereign and corporate issuance, particularly in energy, agriculture, and transportation, but highlights critical barriers including underdeveloped regional financial markets, a lack of government focus on climate-resilient regulatory frameworks, and limited technical capacity among stakeholders to meet international green standards. It recommends targeted capacity building, the development of harmonized regional guidelines, and the use of technical assistance and risk-transfer instruments to attract investors and build a pipeline of bankable green projects.

The Americas Conference on Solar Radiation Modification, held in August 2022 in Kingston, Jamaica, served as a regional forum to introduce the science, governance, and implications of Solar Radiation Modification (SRM). The event brought together scientists, policymakers, and representatives from various Americas nations to discuss SRM as a potential supplement to climate mitigation, emphasizing the need for inclusive research, regional collaboration, and a risk-risk framework to evaluate the technology's potential benefits against the dangers of unchecked global warming.

A case study on GDS International's decentralized renewable energy mini-grid project in rural Benin, designed to provide electricity to thousands of households and productive users through a result-based grant-funded model.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) analyzes 24 financing strategies for climate adaptation in developing countries, categorized into discrete adaptation strategies and general climate action strategies. It evaluates how these documents are developed, the role of multilateral development banks (MDBs), and their effectiveness in mobilizing finance. The report identifies a need for better integration between ministries of finance and climate leads, more strategic use of public grants to leverage private investment, and improved country-level tracking of climate finance flows.

This research paper by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the evolving relationship between the Republic of Korea and Africa, focusing on opportunities for collaboration in climate change and energy transition. It analyzes Korea's carbon-neutrality goals and the African Union's Climate Change and Resilient Development Strategy (2022–2032) to identify synergies in renewable energy, green minerals, smart cities, and sustainable agriculture.

This SEI briefing discusses the necessity of integrated planning to align the Paris Agreement's climate goals with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It evaluates existing software tools for this purpose and highlights the Low Emissions Analysis Platform (LEAP) as a unique open-access, quantitative, and prospective tool capable of analyzing both Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).