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The document evaluates the state of governance in Africa using indices such as the Worldwide Governance Indicators (WGI) and the Ibrahim Index of African Governance (IIAG). It finds that while some progress has been made in 'voice and accountability', overall governance trends have remained static or declined since 1996. The analysis suggests that while APRM members are statistically more likely to show governance improvement than non-members, the number of reviews undergone does not definitively correlate with better scores. The author argues that both the APRM and the AGR suffer from a lack of implementation of their recommendations and that the AGR risks duplicating the APRM's efforts.

The document examines national investment laws as versatile policy instruments, tracing their shift from national development tools (1950-1979) to mechanisms for incorporating international treaty standards (1980-2010). It identifies seven primary functions of contemporary investment laws: regulating admission, administering incentives, facilitating investment, providing legal protection, managing disputes, specifying investor obligations, and supervising investments. The report argues against a 'one-size-fits-all' model, suggesting instead that laws be designed based on a country's specific policy objectives and regulatory capacity. It provides a detailed framework for policymakers to evaluate existing laws and design new ones, emphasizing the need to reduce legal risks associated with investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) and inefficient tax incentives.

The document analyzes the historical 'lock-in' of SADC's infrastructure, which has been driven by colonial mercantile systems and extractive economic imperatives. It contends that current infrastructure is elitist and ecologically unsustainable, failing to meet the needs of the region's growing population. To counter this, the authors propose a 'regenerative' approach based on circular economies and human wellbeing. The paper presents three visionary scenarios—one driven by political response to climate migration, one by bottom-up civic innovation, and one by ESG-led market incentives—to illustrate potential pathways toward sustainable development. It concludes with recommendations for policy reform, including the creation of a Green Infrastructure Task Team and the adoption of community-based public-private partnerships (C-PPPs).

The author contends that while tourism in Africa has grown significantly, its developmental impact is limited by 'economic leakages' where revenue is expatriated to foreign economies. Using Zanzibar as a case study, the paper demonstrates that foreign-owned all-inclusive resorts dominate the high-end market, while locals are relegated to unskilled labor and struggle to integrate their goods into the supply chain. The document traces this trend to IMF Structural Adjustment Policies (SAPs) of the 1980s, which liberalized economies for foreign investment. To mitigate these issues, the author suggests investing in local infrastructure to meet international standards and promoting intra-African leisure tourism.

The document evaluates the impact of AU governance tools, finding that while APRM members are statistically more likely to show governance improvements than non-members, neither the APRM nor the AGR has fundamentally reversed a general trend of stagnation or decline in African governance since 1996. It highlights a lack of resilience in governance scores following shocks and argues that the focus of these mechanisms must shift from providing recommendations to ensuring their implementation.

The report examines how risk mitigation and transfer (RMT) instruments, provided largely by development finance institutions (DFIs), enable renewable energy projects in SADC countries. While RMTs have been essential for reaching financial close in high-risk markets like Malawi and Mozambique, they are proving insufficient for new projects in countries facing severe debt distress, such as Zambia. The report highlights the 'halo effect' of the World Bank Group as a deterrent against payment defaults and recommends that debt restructuring packages explicitly protect climate investments.

The document discusses the role of the AfCFTA Investment Protocol and the proposed Pan-African Trade and Investment Agency in attracting foreign and domestic investment to Africa. It emphasizes that reducing tariffs alone is insufficient to increase intra-African trade; instead, Africa must scale up the production of complex goods through regional value chains. The author suggests that coordinating investment promotion around specific sectors, such as the automotive industry, can create agglomeration economies and attract skilled labor, providing a more feasible path for the AfCFTA Secretariat than a broad coordination of all 54 national investment agencies.

The PIDACC-Zambezi programme seeks USD 100 million from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) to complement a total budget of USD 312.3 million. It targets the Zambezi Watercourse, where climate change is causing increased drought, flooding, and reduced hydropower potential. The programme focuses on four components: building community resilience through infrastructure and agribusiness, strengthening integrated landscape management, enhancing adaptive and institutional capacity, and programme coordination. Key targets include benefiting 3.79 million direct beneficiaries, restoring 970,000 hectares of degraded land, and reducing emissions by 37.1 million tCO2eq. The initiative emphasizes the use of digital technologies, carbon farming via the Boomitra model, and the establishment of a Direct Credit Window to de-risk private sector investment in agribusiness.

The report finds that while the 'return of coal' did not materialize globally in 2022, the pace of retirements remains insufficient to meet Paris Agreement targets. China is a major outlier, with its coal capacity in development increasing by 38% in 2022, while capacities in the rest of the world decreased by 20%. In the EU and UK, coal use saw a marginal 1% increase due to the gas crisis, but long-term trends remain downward. In Sub-Saharan Africa, coal projects persist despite funding shortages, though some successful just transition initiatives, such as the Komati plant retirement in South Africa, provide a potential model for the region.

The UN 2023 Water Conference, held in New York, focused on accelerating progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6) through the Water Action Agenda. The event resulted in approximately 700 voluntary commitments totaling USD 300 billion and the announcement of a UN Special Envoy for Water. Discussions emphasized the water-food-energy nexus, the human right to water and sanitation, and the need for innovative finance and improved global water data. While the conference generated significant political momentum and new partnerships, analysis suggests that many pledges lack quantifiable targets and that the international community must quadruple its efforts to meet 2030 goals.

The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) was established in 2003 to promote good governance through peer reviews and National Programmes of Action. While it has expanded to 43 member states and seen a leadership-driven turnaround under CEO Prof Eddy Maloka since 2016, the mechanism faces challenges including slow throughput, delayed publication of reports, and a lack of progress in governance outcomes. Data from the Ibrahim Index of African Governance and Afrobarometer suggest that governance on the continent has remained steady or declined despite the APRM's efforts.

The document examines the clash between the rural African donkey market, where the animal is a vital workhorse for the poor, and the lucrative Chinese market for ejiao (donkey-hide glue). It highlights how explosive demand in China has led to donkey shortages, illicit smuggling, and severe welfare abuses, which in turn diminish the socio-economic mobility of rural Africans, particularly women and girls. The author argues that the current unregulated trade risks damaging China-Africa relations and suggests implementing sustainability certifications, breeding programs, and a distinction between medicinal and wellness-based ejiao consumption to ensure a sustainable supply chain.

The document analyzes GPS collar data from 291 elephants to identify movement patterns and corridors across the KAZA TFCA. It finds that while 44% of collared elephants engage in transboundary movements, border fences act as almost complete barriers to females. The report identifies three types of micro-corridors—water-related, fence-channeled, and human-modified pinchpoints—and highlights significant threats including physical barriers, land use change, human-elephant conflict, and poaching. It recommends a combination of fence reviews, community-led corridor designation, and holistic human-elephant conflict management to maintain the connectivity of the world's largest elephant population.

The document assesses the attractiveness of South Africa's green economy manufacturing market, detailing policy frameworks, electricity costs, labour laws, and tax systems. It highlights significant opportunities in renewable energy, water infrastructure, and sustainable agriculture, while identifying critical bottlenecks such as load shedding, policy inconsistency, and skills shortages.

The report outlines the transition of South Africa's automotive industry toward electric vehicles, highlighting key opportunities in public transport, micro-mobility, private passenger vehicles, and lithium-ion cell manufacturing. It emphasizes the pressure from the European Union's 2035 ban on internal combustion engine vehicles to drive local production and the role of South Africa's mineral reserves in the battery value chain.

The African Nature Based Tourism Platform, funded by the Global Environment Facility, is working to mobilize $15 million for tourism-reliant communities and SMEs across 11 countries in eastern and southern Africa. Based on 687 surveys conducted in early 2021, the Platform identified critical vulnerabilities caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, including severe revenue losses and threats to food and water security. These insights have informed the development of community-led grant proposals focusing on climate-smart agriculture, water security through solar-powered boreholes, and inclusive governance. Specific successful funding mobilizations include a $1.4 million EU grant for governance in Tanzania's Wildlife Management Areas and various projects in Malawi, South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, and Kenya aimed at diversifying livelihoods to reduce reliance on tourism and prevent the unsustainable use of natural resources.

The document outlines an 11-day conservation-focused safari led by WWF's African Species Director, Bas Huijbregts. The journey visits key sites within the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA), including Chobe National Park, Lake Kariba, Matusadona National Park, Hwange National Park, and Victoria Falls. The itinerary emphasizes WWF's efforts to secure wildlife corridors and support the coexistence of people and wildlife in the region.

The MEFMI Debt Management Programme (February 2021 - September 2022) provided technical assistance and capacity building to several African nations to improve debt sustainability, transparency, and strategic management. Key achievements include conducting debt sustainability analyses in Eswatini and Tanzania, developing a debt statistical bulletin in Botswana, consolidating debt databases in Zambia, and formulating Medium-Term Debt Management Strategies in Tanzania and Zimbabwe.

The GCF is implementing a four-pillar operational framework to enhance coordination with other climate funds. Key achievements include the establishment of a joint steering committee for the Long-Term Vision (LTV) with the GEF, the fast-track reaccreditation of nine entities with the AF, and the development of a joint GCF-GEF pavilion for COP 26 and COP 27. The report details specific funding proposals and readiness grants that demonstrate national programming coherence, as well as ongoing technical dialogues to harmonize results indicators and impact measurement methodologies across funds.

The report assesses how climate change exacerbates gender inequalities in three infrastructure sectors: WASH, coastal/marine ecosystems, and ports. It finds that women and girls bear a disproportionate burden of inadequate WASH services and are largely excluded from formal employment and decision-making in the blue economy and port operations. The document proposes a Gender Action Plan for Climate Fund Managers (CFM) to improve access, amplify women's voices in planning, create formal employment opportunities, and implement robust gender-disaggregated monitoring.