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The Tracking SDG7: The Energy Progress Report 2026 by Sustainable Energy for All indicates that the world is off track to meet all Sustainable Development Goal 7 targets by 2030. While global electricity access has improved, progress is decelerating and heavily concentrated in Asia, leaving Africa with the vast majority of the unelectrified population. Clean cooking access is failing to keep pace with population growth in Africa, and global renewable energy and energy efficiency improvements are too slow to meet the required trajectories.

The Tracking SDG7: The Energy Progress Report 2026 executive summary indicates that all Sustainable Development Goal 7 targets are off track for 2030. While global electricity access has reached nearly 92%, progress is decelerating, and the remaining deficit is heavily concentrated in Africa. Clean cooking access remains a critical gap with 2 billion people lacking access, and global energy efficiency and renewable energy shares are not improving fast enough to meet 2030 targets.

This research paper by Jakkie Cilliers analyzes the state of governance in Africa, comparing its security, capacity, and inclusion metrics against the rest of the world. It examines the relationship between governance quality, stability, and economic development, highlighting the risks associated with autocratic leadership and the role of democratic institutions as shock absorbers.

This research paper provides an introductory overview of Sudan's development potential and the systemic barriers that have hindered its progress. It details the country's geographical advantages, natural resource endowments, and a history of political instability and conflict, culminating in the current civil war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces.

This research paper outlines a 'Governance scenario' for Africa, modeling the potential socio-economic impacts of improvements in stability, government capacity, and inclusion by 2043. It specifically examines how digital technology can enable direct cash transfer programs to replace inefficient subsidies and forecasts significant gains in GDP and poverty reduction across the continent.

This report analyzes Djibouti's development trajectory through 2043, comparing a 'Current Path' baseline against various sectoral scenarios and a 'Combined' reform pathway. While the country is projected to grow steadily, the report finds that its current capital-intensive, corridor-based model is insufficient to meet the goals of Vision 2035. The analysis identifies governance, financial flows, and regional integration as the most impactful drivers for achieving a more inclusive, diversified, and sustainable economy.

The State of ClimateTech in Africa 2.0 is a report by FSD Africa and partners that analyzes the evolution of the African ClimateTech ecosystem between 2016 and 2025. Moving beyond aggregate funding totals, the report employs a new application-led taxonomy and an adapted Carlota Perez techno-economic framework to demonstrate that African ClimateTech is not a single market but a collection of applications maturing at different speeds. It highlights deep concentrations of capital in the Energy and Mobility sectors and identifies critical financing gaps—particularly in early-stage equity and working capital—that constrain the growth of asset-heavy and adaptation-focused ventures.

This report by Genesis Analytics, commissioned by FSD Africa, Shell Foundation, and Shortlist, forecasts green employment opportunities across Africa with a focus on Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa. It argues that Africa's green transition is primarily service-led and decentralized, meaning the majority of jobs will be indirect roles in distribution, maintenance, and operations rather than in construction or manufacturing. The study highlights a significant gap between the potential for job creation and the current availability of skilled workers, particularly in advanced technical areas. It emphasizes that while green value chains are accessible to women, youth, and low-income workers, these groups are often concentrated in low-value, informal roles, necessitating systemic reforms in workplace design, social protection, and training to ensure meaningful inclusion.

This conclusion from the 'Ethiopia Development Futures' report identifies the systemic constraints hindering Ethiopia's sustainable growth and provides policy recommendations focused on governance, economic diversification, agricultural productivity, and education.

This introductory report by the Institute for Security Studies provides a geographic, climatic, and socio-political overview of Ethiopia, detailing its landlocked status, diverse ethnic landscape, and ongoing internal conflicts.

This report provides a 'Current Path' development forecast for sub-Saharan Africa from 2019 to 2043, utilizing the International Futures (IFs) platform. It analyzes demographic shifts, economic growth, poverty trends, and energy transitions, projecting a region with significant population growth, increasing urbanization, and a shift toward manufacturing and renewable energy, despite persistent challenges with food insecurity and carbon emissions.

The Demographics and Health Scenario is a research paper that models the potential impact of accelerated fertility decline and health infrastructure improvements across Africa. It outlines a series of ambitious but empirically grounded interventions starting in 2027 to enhance human development and economic growth relative to a 'Current Path' forecast.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the scale, impact, and future projections of remittance flows to Africa. It examines how these funds support households and macroeconomic stability, while also warning of potential 'remittance traps' and 'Dutch disease' that can hinder long-term economic growth and government accountability.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes Africa's rapid population growth and its implications for the global labor market. It forecasts that Africa's population will reach 3.850 billion by 2100, driven by high fertility rates and population momentum, potentially making the continent the world's largest labor force by 2040.

This report analyzes the 'Combined Agenda 2063 scenario' for the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), integrating 11 sectoral scenarios to forecast GDP per capita, poverty levels, and carbon emissions by 2043. It highlights the synergistic effects of multi-sectoral reform, projecting significant economic growth and poverty reduction, while noting an inevitable increase in carbon emissions.

This research paper provides a comprehensive geographic, political, and socio-economic introduction to Africa, detailing its physical landscape, colonial history, administrative structures, and immense cultural and linguistic diversity.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies examines the energy access gap in Africa and the potential for 'leapfrogging' traditional fossil-fuel grids in favor of decentralized renewable energy systems, specifically solar-based mini-grids and off-grid solutions.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies examines the historical drivers of Africa's infrastructure deficit, tracing it from colonial-era extractive designs through post-independence policy failures, macroeconomic crises, and recent trends in urban and railway investment.

A statement by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and World’s Youth for Climate Justice (WYCJ) urging UN member states to support a resolution on May 20, 2026, to operationalize the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) Advisory Opinion on states' climate obligations.

A report by the South African Institute of International Affairs analyzing the internal complexities and competing interests of the expanded 10-member BRICS bloc regarding global energy governance and the energy transition.