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The document assesses the limitations of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in addressing illegal wildlife trade, noting that it is not legally binding unless implemented through national laws. It highlights a significant gap in compliance, with 50% of signatories lacking effective national legislation. The author recommends strengthening synergies between CITES and other agreements like the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), as well as fostering transregional consensus to prevent the displacement of illegal markets. Specific focus is placed on the need for increased capacity and funding for scientific authorities in high-biodiversity developing nations, particularly in Africa, to improve the evidence base for non-detriment findings (NDFs).

The World Bank's Safeguard policy is criticized for devaluing community voices by failing to require that crucial project information be shared with local populations. A survey of civil society actors across 40 countries indicates that 79% of communities learn about projects from partner organizations rather than the Bank. Barriers to information include intermittent internet access, lack of native language translations, and the use of dense technical jargon. The author advocates for guaranteed access to Environmental and Social Impact Assessments, Resettlement Action Plans, and Indigenous Peoples Plans to prevent forced evictions and ecosystem destruction, citing a recent $73.1 million funding withdrawal for a dam in the Democratic Republic of Congo as evidence that the Bank can act when standards are violated.

The report argues that Burundi's post-transition period has been marked by cyclical patterns of state-led repression and political violence. While early post-transition violence was primarily intra-ethnic among Hutu, the 2015 crisis began as a crackdown on peaceful protesters and evolved into an insurgency involving diverse armed groups. The authors highlight the failure of the Arusha Agreement to establish a separation of powers and transitional justice, which allowed the ruling CNDD-FDD to centralise power and maintain impunity for security forces.

The study evaluates the South Africa–DRC development partnership, finding that South Africa is a significant partner in absolute financial terms and relative to its gross national income. While the partnership aligns with SSC values of national ownership and non-conditionality, it suffers from fragmented coordination, weak monitoring and evaluation systems, and a lack of clear strategic intent from the South African side.

The policy brief examines how domestic xenophobia contradicts South Africa's 'diplomacy of ubuntu' and its aspirations for African leadership. It highlights specific incidents of violence and government failures, suggesting that South Africa must address the root causes of intolerance domestically and regionalise its policy responses to reclaim its international standing.

The East African region has discovered vast oil and gas reserves, but social and economic benefits remain unrealised due to regulatory disputes, infrastructure hurdles, and poor governance. Uganda has opted for a pipeline route through Tanzania over Kenya due to cost and security concerns. Mozambique faces severe financial instability and debt crises that threaten its LNG projects. Across the region, a lack of transparency and limited civil liberties hinder the effective implementation of accountability frameworks like the EITI.

The report examines African election trends in 2016, noting that while multi-party elections are now standard, many processes are undermined by 'constitutional coups', the removal of term limits, and electoral irregularities. It details specific cases of instability and incumbent persistence in countries like the Central African Republic, Uganda, and the Republic of Congo, while contrasting these with more stable prospects in South Africa and Ghana.

The research examines the effects of privatised copper mine ownership and foreign investment from China and India on Zambia's upstream supply chain, highlighting challenges such as poor capital access and stiff competition, while noting that Chinese OEMs are displacing established suppliers through advantageous credit terms.

The report analyzes the growth of supermarket chains in Southern Africa, noting a shift from South African dominance to the expansion of other SADC chains like Botswana's Choppies. It identifies drivers such as urbanization and centralized procurement, while highlighting barriers like logistics for perishable goods and local content policies.

The South African beef industry is characterized by a split between commercial and communal production, with a supply chain that is largely vertically integrated. While South Africa is a net importer of beef, imports decreased by 36% between 2012 and 2013, increasing self-sufficiency. Key export markets include Mozambique and Europe, with high growth potential identified in Kuwait, the UAE, and the Seychelles, while Australia remains the primary source of imports.

The report finds that the CIF provides a unique, programmatic approach to climate finance that differs from the project-by-project model of the GCF. It has been the largest source of external concessional finance for Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs), particularly in high-risk technologies like geothermal and concentrated solar power. The authors recommend keeping the CIF operational to maintain momentum and bridge investment gaps, suggesting it work complementarily with the GCF.

The paper argues that South Africa's extreme inequality, high unemployment, and declining governance effectiveness are fueling social turbulence. It details a shift from state-sponsored apartheid violence to diverse forms of public violence, including service delivery protests, xenophobic attacks, and student unrest. The authors highlight a critical failure in security institutions and a lack of structural economic reform, suggesting the country is at a political turning point where economic stagnation and poor leadership increase the risk of future instability.

The paper argues that the New Development Bank (NDB) lacks a clear, shared definition of sustainable development and suggests that South Africa could lead the BRICS group in establishing a holistic framework. Drawing on stakeholder interviews and international best practices, the authors recommend that the NDB prioritize social and environmental safeguards, move away from coal and extractive industries, and establish formal dialogue mechanisms with civil society to ensure transparency and pro-poor outcomes.

The document examines the systemic marginalisation of African communities affected by mining, highlighting the gap between official policy and the reality of environmental degradation, forced relocation, and health hazards. It details specific tools for empowerment, such as community protocols in Kenya and Zimbabwe, paralegal interventions in Sierra Leone, and strategic litigation regarding silicosis in South Africa. The text emphasizes the disproportionate burden on women and the necessity of moving beyond narrow legal definitions of 'indigenous peoples' to protect all customary landholders through the principle of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC).

The paper estimates that Chinese financiers provided US$86.3 billion to African governments and state-owned enterprises between 2000 and 2014, a figure lower than many common beliefs. The authors argue that Chinese lending is driven by business interests—specifically generating construction contracts for Chinese firms—rather than a primary desire to secure natural resources. While transportation and energy are the largest sectors receiving funds, approximately one-third of the loans are secured by commodities or exports to mitigate risk in unstable environments. The authors warn that while a debt crisis has not yet occurred, rising debt levels and the unlikely nature of policy bank debt cancellation pose future risks.

The report examines the relationship between human migration and ecosystem health in the Great Lakes Region of East and Central Africa, specifically focusing on the Bale Mountains in Ethiopia, the Misotshi–Kabogo ecosystem in the DRC, and the Lake Albert ecosystem in Uganda. It highlights how migration drives land conversion and resource overexploitation, particularly in the Bale Mountains, and introduces a toolkit designed to help practitioners implement migration-sensitive conservation interventions.

The document examines how migration into the Misotshi-Kabogo ecosystem in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo is driving land conversion and the overexploitation of natural resources, threatening local species and traditional livelihoods.

The document details how palm oil production, primarily in Indonesia and Malaysia, drives deforestation and releases significant carbon and methane emissions, particularly through the draining and burning of peatlands. It notes that while Indonesia and Malaysia have implemented some protections and the RSPO seeks to improve sustainability, RSPO standards remain insufficient. The text highlights a shift in the supply chain, with over 60 percent of globally traded palm oil covered by deforestation-free commitments as of 2016, while warning that future expansion in countries like Brazil and Colombia must be managed to protect forests.

The report examines the relationship between human migration and ecosystem degradation in the Great Lakes Region of Africa, focusing on case studies in Uganda, Ethiopia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. It argues that while migration is not the primary cause of environmental pressure, it acts as an exacerbating factor that increases habitat destruction and unsustainable resource use. The document provides a framework for conservationists to integrate migration trends into land-use planning and natural resource governance.

The report examines how migration into the Misotshi–Kabogo ecosystem in the eastern DRC, driven by conflict and economic opportunity, is causing significant deforestation and biodiversity loss. It recommends the formal establishment of Ngamikka National Park with a zoned approach to balance conservation with local livelihood needs.