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The policy brief highlights the 'value-addition gap' in African agriculture, where low productivity and lack of energy access limit economic growth. It proposes that the AU-EU partnership focus on deploying solar mini-grids to power village-level agro-processing, reforming cooperatives to improve farmer bargaining power, and providing micro-finance and micro-enterprise training to smallholders. Using Uganda's maize sector as an example, the document demonstrates that over 60% of maize croplands could be served by mini-grids, which would displace inefficient diesel mills and reduce post-harvest losses.

The policy brief examines how the EU can support the implementation of the AfCFTA to foster African economic integration and resilience. It identifies structural hurdles such as non-tariff barriers and infrastructure deficits, and recommends that the EU reorient its trade support, focus on institutional capacity building, coordinate efforts to match local needs, and engage directly with the African private sector.

The evaluation concludes that the NAP GN has been a valuable contributor to the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process, exceeding its grant targets for training and institutional capacity building. While highly effective in providing neutral knowledge brokering and tailored country support, the report identifies needs for improved impact measurement, better coordination with multilateral entities, and a strategic shift toward supporting the implementation phase of NAPs.

The document examines how national investment laws can provide a pathway for foreign investors to initiate ISDS claims, potentially challenging government responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. It highlights that while treaty-based claims are more common, domestic laws—often influenced by international organization 'best practice' advice—can grant unequivocal consent to international arbitration. This creates risks of unpredictable, costly awards and a dichotomy between how domestic and foreign investors are treated. The brief suggests that governments review and potentially amend or suspend these provisions to preserve policy space during the crisis.

The document warns that national investment laws can act as a mechanism for foreign investors to initiate international arbitration against states, potentially challenging COVID-19 emergency measures. It highlights that many developing countries included ISDS consent in their laws following World Bank 'best practice' advice, creating a broad exposure to costly claims. The authors suggest that governments review and potentially suspend these provisions to maintain policy space during the pandemic.

The document examines the tension between international intellectual property (IP) regimes, such as UPOV and TRIPS, and frameworks protecting farmers' rights and biodiversity, such as the ITPGRFA and the Nagoya Protocol. It argues that the lack of a single comprehensive framework creates legal confusion for developing countries, which are often pressured to adopt strict IP protections that may marginalize small-scale producers and Indigenous communities. The brief suggests that governments can utilize 'sui generis' systems to create tiered levels of protection that safeguard both commercial innovation and traditional seed-sharing practices.

The research paper assesses the political landscape of Ethiopia, characterized by a divide between 'Ethiopianist' and 'ethnonationalist' perspectives. It analyzes theoretical models of constitutional design—specifically consociationalism, centripetalism, and integrationism—and proposes several hybrid models to reconcile these opposing views. The author argues that no single design can satisfy all parties and suggests that a combination of power-sharing, vote-pooling, and national identity-building is the most viable path toward stability.

The document argues that individual African countries often lack the resources to transition to green energy, but regional integration via the AfCFTA can create a larger market to attract investment and skilled labor. It highlights the role of regional power pools and suggests that a strategic shift in EU development assistance toward regional rather than bilateral support, combined with knowledge and technology sharing, could further fast-track the transition.

The document analyzes energy transition policies in 34 African countries, categorizing them as direct, integrative, or enabling. It identifies a trend toward market-oriented regimes using auction instruments and de-risking tools, while highlighting that only a few countries—including South Africa, Rwanda, Kenya, Mauritius, Ethiopia, and Egypt—effectively integrate energy justice (distributive, recognitional, and procedural) into their frameworks. The authors warn against over-reliance on market forces and recommend that AU-EU cooperation prioritize energy justice criteria, capacity building, and regional partnerships to ensure a just transition.

The report identifies the COVID-19 pandemic as a 'dress rehearsal' for climate change impacts on the global food system, highlighting the vulnerability of producers and the informal food sector. While essential services and large retailers maintained operations, the crisis exposed systemic inequalities and the brittleness of efficient supply chains, leading to increased food waste. The document emphasizes the need for a post-pandemic 'new norm' characterized by pre-competitive collaboration, integrated sustainability, and a shift toward e-commerce to ensure food security and resilience.

The document outlines the legal framework provided by UNCLOS for landlocked states to secure access to the sea and exploit living resources in the exclusive economic zones (EEZ) of coastal states. It emphasizes that while UNCLOS establishes general rights, the practical implementation depends on negotiated agreements between landlocked and transit states. The brief highlights the importance of mutual benefit, citing the Ethiopia-Djibouti agreement and the Walvis Bay Corridor Group as successful models of cooperation in Africa.

The report analyzes the proposed Africa-EU strategy ahead of the October 2020 summit, comparing EU priorities with the AU's Agenda 2063. It identifies gaps in the EU's approach, particularly regarding poverty, health, debt cancellation, and infrastructure, and recommends a revamped partnership based on mutual accountability and a people-centred approach.

The NAP Implementation Roadmap for Ethiopia details a strategic framework to reduce climate vulnerability from 2020 to 2030. It focuses on five implementation components: agriculture and water, natural resource management, health, livelihoods and social protection, climate services and adaptation technologies, and infrastructure. The roadmap identifies 18 adaptation options and five strategic priorities, emphasizing the mainstreaming of climate adaptation into national development plans like the Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP). Key goals include achieving food security by 2030 and expanding access to safe water. The document highlights significant capacity gaps at sub-national levels and the need for a resource mobilization strategy to meet an estimated implementation cost of USD 90 billion.

The document highlights the 'value-addition gap' in African agriculture, where low productivity and lack of post-harvest processing limit economic growth. Using Uganda as a case study, it argues that the deployment of solar mini-grids can displace inefficient diesel mills and enable village-level agro-processing. To succeed, the author recommends that the AU-EU partnership focus on reforming cooperative structures to aggregate produce, increasing access to micro- and commercial finance for smallholders, and providing accessible micro-enterprise training to reduce post-harvest losses and improve rural employment.

The document outlines the legal framework provided by UNCLOS for landlocked states to access the sea through transit states. It emphasizes that while UNCLOS grants general rights of transit and access to living resources in Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs), the practical implementation depends on negotiated agreements. The brief provides recommendations for African policymakers to ensure these agreements are mutually beneficial, citing the Djibouti–Addis Ababa transport corridor and the Walvis Bay Corridor Group as successful examples of such cooperation.

The policy brief examines how 4IR technologies—specifically biotechnology, precision agriculture, and controlled-environment agriculture—can enhance water-smart farming in Southern Africa. It highlights the potential of CRISPR for drought-resistant crops, the use of remote sensing and AI for small-scale farmer decision-making, and the promise of vertical farming to bypass climatic limitations, while noting challenges related to energy efficiency and regulatory frameworks.

The report analyzes the 2018 HRC records of 13 African states, finding a general unwillingness to defend international human rights and a significant lack of unity in voting. Tunisia, Côte d’Ivoire, and Rwanda showed the strongest commitment, while Burundi, Egypt, and Ethiopia were the most opposed. The analysis highlights a discrepancy between domestic freedom ratings and HRC performance, noting that domestic records are weak predictors of how states vote on the Council.

The IEU report for the first half of 2020 outlines the progress of several major evaluations, including assessments of the GCF's country ownership approach, environmental and social safeguards, and the Simplified Approval Process. It highlights the unit's efforts to integrate behavioural science through the new Behaviour and Design Lab (BaDLab) and the LORTA programme. The report also details extensive communication efforts via webinars and social media to increase the uptake of evaluation findings, and provides a budget update showing a total expenditure and commitment of USD 2,447,221 against a 2020 budget of USD 5,581,985 as of 30 April 2020.

In 2019, wind and solar generated 8.2% of global electricity, with the EU leading at 18%. The report highlights that wind and solar are now the cheapest new generation sources for two-thirds of the global population and that electricity grids remained stable during the 2020 Covid-19 lockdowns even as renewable shares reached record highs in countries like Denmark (65%), Germany (45%), and Greece (41%). To limit temperature increase to 1.5 degrees, the report notes that coal's market share must drop from 35% to 8% by 2030, requiring wind and solar's share to increase to approximately 29%.

The report examines how COVID-19 disrupted the sub-Saharan African insurance value chain, forcing rapid digitalisation and straining balance sheets due to reduced premium income and investment returns. While household life and health policies generally covered the pandemic, business interruption insurance largely did not due to global reinsurance exclusions. The document highlights opportunities for insurers to adopt remote onboarding and for regulators to remove barriers to digital sales and manage potential market consolidation.