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The document assesses the effects of US Executive Order 14257, which introduced a 10% universal tariff and higher country-specific tariffs (11% to 50%) on imports from 190 countries. While mineral-exporting nations like Angola and South Africa may find relief through exemptions for oil and critical minerals, countries like Lesotho and Madagascar face severe economic risks, particularly in the textile sector. The analysis highlights a strategic divide: some nations seek bilateral deals, others aim for self-sufficiency, and a group of African WTO members are coordinating through the 'Friends of the System'. The authors argue that African nations should negotiate collectively under the African Union to protect regional integration and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as the AGOA program faces expiration on September 30, 2025.

The paper analyzes the economic consequences of US Executive Order 14257, which introduced universal and country-specific tariffs on imports from 190 territories. While many African nations face a 10% universal tariff, 20 countries face higher rates ranging from 11% to 50%, with Lesotho most affected. The authors highlight the vulnerability of textile industries in Lesotho and Madagascar and the uncertainty surrounding the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which expires on September 30, 2025. The document advocates for a coordinated regional response via the African Union and the African Continental Free Trade Area to mitigate economic risks and negotiate bilateral or sectoral agreements.

The 2025 Progress Report details WWF's global initiatives to safeguard threatened species. Key achievements include the establishment of pangolin monitoring in southern Africa, the launch of the Elly Allies Initiative for Asian elephants, and the development of Shellbank, a DNA-based toolkit for sea turtle traceability. The report also highlights a 74% increase in wild tiger populations since 2010 and the formation of the Tribal Buffalo Lifeways Collaboration to restore bison to Native lands in the Great Plains.

South Africa's carbon-intensive export model is increasingly vulnerable as 78% of its exports are sold to countries with net zero targets. The report highlights acute risks in the basic metals, automotive, and agricultural sectors due to high embodied CO2 emissions compared to global competitors. While the EU's CBAM and shifting US trade policies pose immediate threats, South Africa's reserves of critical minerals and renewable energy potential offer a strategic path toward 'carbon competitiveness'. The report argues that success depends on decarbonising the national electricity grid, implementing the Climate Change Act 2024, and securing international support through the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP).

The document argues that while the AfCFTA Digital Trade Protocol provides a strategic framework for interoperability, its success depends on member states overcoming 'digital exclusion', characterized by a significant rural-urban divide where rural internet penetration is only 23% compared to 57% in urban areas. To facilitate implementation, the author recommends a tiered approach of 'foundational' and 'catalytic' measures. Foundational steps include investing in broadband, establishing data protection laws, and improving digital literacy. Catalytic steps involve offering incentives for tech startups, supporting local e-commerce platforms, and developing specialized training for MSMEs. The brief specifically suggests that member states amend domestic regulations to allow satellite services like Starlink to mitigate terrestrial connectivity deficits and modernize banking regulations to accommodate fintech. It also warns that the protocol's suggestion to develop rules of origin for digitally delivered services (DDS) departs from the WTO e-commerce moratorium and may be 'costly and prejudicial to businesses'.

The document reflects on the 'Reimagining Development Cooperation: Pragmatic Pathways for Africa-Germany Relations' event held in Berlin on January 24, 2024. It argues that the current relationship is rooted in a 'neocolonial model' characterized by unequal raw materials acquisition and a lack of value addition within African economies. Key discussions centered on the need to move beyond 'North-South' labels, the importance of industrialisation, and the necessity of shifting from a 'help partnership' to one based on mutual benefit and African leadership in agenda-setting. While the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) suggests 'refocusing' the relationship via its Africa Strategy, other participants called for a complete 'uprooting and disruption' of the current system to address colonial legacies and debt issues.

The report analyzes the digital information ecosystem during South Africa's May 2024 elections, identifying a complex market of paid and ideological influencers who used coordinated strategies to undermine electoral institutions and distort political narratives.

The document argues that Africa-EU and Africa-Germany relations are still defined by 'coloniality', manifesting as power imbalances that marginalise African agency. It critiques the EU's security-development nexus and the 'Samoa Agreement' for prioritising European interests, and examines German development aid through the GIZ as often intrusive or tokenistic. The author highlights the exploitation of raw materials and the use of intelligence services to acquire indigenous medicines as contemporary colonial practices. To decolonise, the paper recommends respecting African demands on trade and resource beneficiation, ending the 'Europeanisation' of security missions, and shifting from development aid to industrialisation projects.

The research paper analyzes the withdrawal of the SADC Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM) from Cabo Delgado on 15 July 2024, arguing that the exit was driven by financial constraints and poor coordination rather than security improvements. It highlights that the insurgency, involving groups like Ahlu Sunnah Waljama’a and linked to ISIS, is fueled by a complex mix of religious extremism, poverty, unemployment, and state violence. The author contends that the withdrawal may have created a security void, as attacks have increased in 2024, and argues that military intervention alone is insufficient without addressing the root governance failures and economic inequalities in Mozambique.

The IEU report for May-August 2024 outlines the completion of evaluations on whistleblower protection, the GCF Investment Framework, and the energy sector portfolio. It details ongoing evaluations in Latin America and the Caribbean, health and food security, and Indigenous Peoples' approaches. The report also highlights the LORTA impact evaluation programme, evidence reviews on just transition and market-based approaches, and the progress of a Management Action Report on the Readiness and Preparatory Support Programme, where the Secretariat agreed to all 15 recommendations with varying levels of implementation progress.

The document advocates for a progressive tax agenda to address extreme poverty and wealth concentration, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. It proposes several instruments: Financial Transaction Taxes (FTTs) to curb speculation and raise billions annually; net wealth taxes to target the super-rich; property taxes to leverage immobile assets; and Resource Rent Taxes (RTT) for the extractives sector. Using South Africa as a case study, the brief demonstrates that a combination of these taxes could generate substantial revenue to fund social protection, healthcare, and a Universal Basic Income Guarantee, potentially increasing GDP growth.

The research paper argues that German-African industrial relations are underperforming due to a skewed German perception of Africa as a crisis-ridden region rather than a diverse set of economic opportunities. It highlights the growth of several African economies and the potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), while noting that German business engagement remains low and government strategies are often uncoordinated and paternalistic. The authors recommend that Germany replace aid with trade and investment, particularly in green hydrogen, and that African governments increase transparency and infrastructure to attract foreign direct investment.

The report examines how fossil fuels correlate with inter-state wars, militarism, and internal violence, while advocating for a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty to manage a just transition to renewable energy. It highlights the 'peacetime-wartime continuum' of violence, noting that fossil fuel revenues often fund conflicts and that extraction sites frequently experience human rights abuses and gender-based violence. The document calls for a treaty based on non-proliferation, a fair phase-out, and a global just transition to prevent the replication of colonial extractivist patterns in the renewable energy sector.

This document consists of two distinct parts: a supplemental expert report by Dr. Ranajit (Ron) Sahu evaluating the air quality impact assessment (AQIA) for the proposed Lephalale Coal Mine, and a comprehensive Spatial Development Framework (SDF) for the Lephalale Local Municipality. Dr. Sahu concludes that the mine will cause substantial adverse particulate matter (PM) impacts, exceeding national standards even with mitigation. The SDF section provides a long-term spatial plan for the municipality, focusing on the 'energy hub' of Africa, rural development, and the management of urban sprawl and environmental protection.

The report finds that South Africa's mining sector is in a state of economic decline, with its share of real GDP falling from 11.1% in 1993 to 4.8% in 2023. It argues that the MPRDA has failed to facilitate growth or efficient regulation, contributing to a 'dried up' project pipeline and a global exploration expenditure share that has stagnated below 1% since 2020. Key constraints include institutional capacity gaps at the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE), infrastructure failures in electricity and logistics, and a profound trust deficit between government, industry, and host communities. The report recommends urgent amendments to the MPRDA to address regulatory uncertainties, the formalisation of artisanal and small-scale mining, and the adoption of a new, multi-stakeholder vision for the industry to restore investor confidence.

The NAP Global Network Peer Learning Strategy establishes a framework for South-South knowledge exchange to enhance the development and implementation of National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) in developing countries. Moving away from one-off events, the strategy prioritizes sustained, continuous learning through four primary activity types: Peer Learning Forums, Peer Exchanges, Peer Learning Cohorts, and 1:1 Peer Learning Partnerships. The approach integrates technical, relational, reflexive, and experiential components, while emphasizing gender equality and social inclusion (GESI). The strategy also links peer learning with national-level action and knowledge generation to create a 'value chain' of support for adaptation practitioners.

The paper examines the tension between SADC's economic-driven digital agenda and the protection of fundamental human rights. It identifies systemic threats including state-sanctioned internet shutdowns, surveillance, and algorithmic bias, while analyzing the influence of digital geopolitics involving the US, China, and the EU. The authors advocate for the recognition of the 'right to Internet access' and the adoption of 'data justice' frameworks to ensure an inclusive digital future by 2035.

Japan is transitioning its Africa strategy from Official Development Assistance (ODA) toward private sector-led investment, specifically targeting critical minerals and green energy. This shift is driven by strategic competition with China, particularly regarding supply chain security for rare earth elements and the G7's desire to provide alternatives to Chinese infrastructure loans. While the Japanese government is actively promoting this 'business-based' approach through initiatives like the Green Growth Initiative for Africa and the Minerals Security Partnership, the transition is hindered by high risk perception among Japanese companies.

The document argues that the Global Minimum Tax (GMT) reduces the effectiveness of traditional corporate tax incentives in SEZs, such as tax holidays and reduced rates, for large multinational enterprises. It suggests that countries should shift from profit-based tax competition toward improving the overall investment environment and utilizing non-fiscal incentives. The brief also warns of legal risks associated with reforming these incentives, specifically regarding investor-state dispute settlements (ISDS) and stabilization clauses, while recommending that SEZs be leveraged to support the energy transition and renewable energy investment.

The document analyzes how the OECD's Pillar Two GloBE rules, which mandate a 15% minimum effective tax rate for large multinationals, undermine traditional SEZ tax incentives like corporate income tax exemptions. It argues that such incentives are often ineffective for long-term competitiveness and recommends that countries shift toward non-fiscal incentives, cost-based incentives, and sustainable energy investments to avoid revenue loss to other jurisdictions.