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This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the conflict in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as of January 2009. It identifies key drivers of instability in North Kivu and outlines three potential scenarios for the region: the maintenance of the status quo, a return to war, or the establishment of peace through negotiations.

This field report details a December 2006 workshop designed to pilot the 'Conflict Sensitivity in Conservation (CSC) Manual' using conflict scenarios from Queen Elizabeth National Park (QENP) in Uganda. The report documents the application of conflict analysis tools—including conflict trees, conflict mapping, and stakeholder analysis—to identify and prioritise natural resource-based conflicts, their root causes, and potential entry points for intervention by conservation and development organisations.

This report documents a three-day workshop held from December 5 to 7, 2006, in Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo. The workshop aimed to strengthen the capacity of the Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature (ICCN) to manage and resolve conflicts related to natural resources within Virunga National Park. Facilitated by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), and WWF, the event focused on conflict analysis tools, the identification of primary drivers of conflict in the park, and the development of strategic intervention plans.

The Conflict-Sensitive Conservation Practitioners’ Manual, published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) in 2009, provides a framework for conservation NGOs and protected area authorities to integrate conflict sensitivity into their operations. The guide aims to help practitioners minimize the risk of inadvertently exacerbating conflicts and maximize opportunities for peacebuilding, particularly in conflict zones where natural resources can be both a source of tension and a foundation for stability.

This practitioner's guide, published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), provides a framework for integrating conflict sensitivity into conservation activities. It aims to help NGOs and protected area managers minimize the risk of inadvertently exacerbating conflicts and maximize opportunities for peacebuilding, particularly in volatile regions where natural resource management often intersects with social and political tensions.

The Poznan Declaration is a statement issued on December 9, 2008, by a coalition of international organizations opposing the World Bank Group's involvement in the international climate change convention regime under the UNFCCC. The signatories argue that the World Bank is an inappropriate leader for climate action due to its continued financing of fossil fuels, contribution to deforestation, and lack of democratic governance.

This situation report evaluates the failure of security sector reform (SSR) and disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration (DDR) programmes in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), specifically focusing on the impact on the Kivu Provinces. It argues that the lack of progress in these areas, driven by a lack of political will from the Congolese government and poor international coordination, has contributed to the fragility of the peace process and the resumption of fighting in eastern DRC in October 2008.

This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies examines the evolution of France's relations with Africa, analyzing the transition from the traditional 'Françafrique' system of personalized power and influence toward a more multilateral, transparent partnership. It evaluates the tensions between official rhetoric of rupture—such as the 'doctrine de la Baule' and President Nicolas Sarkozy's promises—and the persistence of old habits, including the support of authoritarian regimes and the reduction of development aid.

This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies analyses the 5 September 2008 Angolan legislative elections, in which the ruling MPLA won a landslide victory. The author argues that the result was achieved through a combination of state resource monopoly, media manipulation, and the intimidation of opposition forces, thereby limiting the prospects for genuine democratic consolidation in Angola.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies assesses the progress and challenges of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) during its first term (2004–2009). The author argues that the PAP is an institutionally weak body due to its premature establishment, which bypassed the gradual integration stages outlined in the 1991 Abuja Treaty. Consequently, the PAP lacks legislative, budgetary, and supervisory powers, operating only as a consultative and advisory body with limited influence over the African Union (AU) executive.

This report examines the history and state of corruption in the Democratic Republic of Congo, focusing on the transition period between 2003 and 2006. It traces a legacy of predation from King Leopold II's forced labour regime and Mobutu's state capture to the resource looting by foreign occupying forces and the Kabila administration. The author argues that without learning from this history and strengthening anti-corruption institutions and legal frameworks to meet international standards, the DRC risks returning to a cycle of bad governance and conflict despite the democratic progress made during the 2006 elections.

A speech by Doris Murimi, Deputy Director of the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), marking the launch of a joint Environmental Crime Project with the East African Police Chiefs Cooperation Organization (EAPCCO) in Entebbe, Uganda, on July 30-31, 2008.

A speech delivered by Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda, Minister of Internal Affairs, at the launch of the EAPCCO-ISS Environmental Crime Project in Entebbe on July 30-31, 2008. The address outlines the scale of environmental crime in East Africa and the objectives of a new regional partnership to strengthen law enforcement capacity.

This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the 2007 Nairobi Agreement and the 2008 Goma Acte d’engagement, evaluating their potential to stabilize the Kivu provinces in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). It examines the challenges of disarming the Forces Démocratique de Libération du Rwanda (FDLR) and the Congrès National pour la Défense du Peuple (CNDP), while highlighting the critical failures of the Congolese army (FARDC) and the broader Security Sector Reform (SSR) process.

This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies argues that Zimbabwe requires a transitional government rather than a government of national unity to resolve its political crisis following the widely condemned presidential election of June 2008.

This report provides three country case studies on the private security sector in Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and South Africa. It examines the growth, regulatory frameworks, and impact of private security companies (PSCs) and private military companies (PMCs) in these nations, highlighting a general trend of ineffective regulation across the continent and the emergence of security as a commodity available primarily to the wealthy.

This seminar report from the Institute for Security Studies examines the tension between the International Criminal Court's (ICC) prosecutorial approach and the pursuit of a negotiated peace settlement in the Northern Uganda conflict involving the Lord Resistance Army (LRA). The document discusses the historical context of the conflict, the limitations of international legal arguments regarding deterrence and justice, and the role of traditional justice mechanisms in transitional societies.

This research paper examines the role of transnational organised crime networks and 'middlemen' in fueling African conflicts through the illicit trade of weapons and natural resources. Using the case studies of Leonid Minin and Victor Bout, the document highlights the sophistication of these networks, their use of front companies and tax havens, and the systemic failures of international law enforcement and national legislation to prosecute sanctions-busting activities.

This research paper examines the relationship between governance, corruption, and foreign direct investment (FDI) in Africa, arguing that while good governance may not be the primary driver for short-term investment—particularly in resource-rich nations—it is essential for long-term economic stability and resource management.

This report by the South African Institute of International Affairs outlines a business-centric vision for Africa's economic development, arguing that the continent must prioritize political stability, basic infrastructure maintenance, access to credit, and the rule of law over large-scale projects or long-term social goals to achieve immediate growth.