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This report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the competing conceptual frameworks and theories of democracy surrounding Ethiopia's national dialogue initiative, arguing that success depends on the reconciliation of conflicting views between the government, opposition parties, and the National Dialogue Commission.

This research paper by Semir Yusuf of the Institute for Security Studies examines the causes of the increased scale and intensity of ethnic conflicts in Ethiopia since 2018, attributing them to militant ethno-nationalisms and state fragility.

A statement by the Institute for Security Studies arguing that African nations must prevent the adoption of a new Protocol to the Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW) that would weaken the existing 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM).

This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the fragile state of Somalia in early 2005 following the election of President Abdullahi Yusuf. It details the complex geopolitical maneuvering between the Transitional National Government (TNG) and the Ethiopian-backed Somali Reconciliation and Reconstruction Council (SRRC), the role of IGAD states in the peace process, and the significant challenges the new transitional government faces in establishing authority, including dependence on external support and internal factionalism.

This report documents a three-day workshop held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 14 to 16 October 2013, focused on developing conflict-sensitivity guidelines for climate change adaptation (CCA) policy in Africa. The event, convened by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), the Wilson Center, IRG/Engility, and ICF International, aimed to build a community of practice at the nexus of climate change, conflict, and development. The workshop explored the application of 'Do No Harm' (DNH) principles and USAID's Climate Change and Conflict Annex to ensure that adaptation efforts do not inadvertently exacerbate social tensions but instead serve as platforms for peacebuilding.

This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies examines the proliferation of competing peace initiatives in Sudan since the conflict began in April 2023. It argues that the multiplicity of mediation efforts—ranging from the African Union and UN to regional blocs and individual nations—has allowed the warring parties, the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, to play initiatives against one another to gain time rather than commit to peace, while the humanitarian crisis worsens.

The report evaluates the AU Peace and Security Council's efforts in conflict resolution and regional stability, highlighting failures in Sudan's mediation due to biased mediator selection and a lack of political focus. It examines the limitations of PSC field missions, the rising death toll of humanitarian workers in Africa, and the role of illegal natural resource exploitation in funding armed groups. Finally, it discusses the need for greater African agency and strategic coordination in infrastructure and security partnerships with China through FOCAC.

This policy brief examines the 1973 Lokiriama Peace Accord, an unwritten indigenous agreement between the Turkana of Kenya and the Matheniko of Uganda. The author argues that this community-centred, culturally sensitive approach to conflict resolution is more durable than modern, state-led interventions, which often focus on punishment rather than reconciliation. The document recommends that governments in the Karamoja Cluster integrate traditional governance structures into their peacebuilding strategies to address persistent intercommunal violence and the impacts of climate change.

This report summarizes a public seminar held on November 20, 2009, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, jointly organized by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) and the Ethiopian International Institute for Peace and Development (EIIPD). The seminar, titled "Copenhagen Talks on Climate Change and Africa's Response," focused on strengthening a common African position regarding mitigation, adaptation, and compensation ahead of the Copenhagen climate negotiations.

This report chapter by Kees Kingma examines the processes and impacts of demobilising military personnel in Africa, focusing on how the transition from military to civilian life affects peace, security, and human development.

This report documents a seminar held on 1 October 2008 in Pretoria, featuring a presentation by General Martin Luther Agwai, the UNAMID Force Commander. General Agwai discusses the complexities of the conflict in Darfur, the transition from the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) to the AU-UN Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID), and the significant operational and logistical challenges facing the mission.

This document is a draft agenda for the Twelfth Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union, scheduled for February 1-3, 2009, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

This report, prepared by the Chairperson of the African Union Commission for a special session in Tripoli, provides a comprehensive overview of the challenges to peace and security in Africa. It details the institutional framework of the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA), the economic and human costs of conflict, and the status of various regional crises, including those in Somalia, Sudan, and the Great Lakes region. The document emphasizes the need for African ownership of peace efforts, the importance of structural conflict prevention, and the strengthening of partnerships with international bodies like the UN and EU.

This report details an Institute for Security Studies (ISS) seminar held on February 12, 2009, in Addis Ababa, which analyzed the outcomes of the 12th Ordinary Summit of the African Union (AU). The seminar featured presentations on the low implementation rates of AU Assembly Decisions, legal challenges regarding the proposed transformation of the AU Commission into an Authority, and the AU's response to the International Criminal Court's (ICC) indictment of the President of Sudan.

This report chapter, authored by Martin Rupiya for the Institute for Security Studies, examines the impact of the HIV/AIDS pandemic on the militaries of Southern African nations. Based on empirical evidence from Botswana, Swaziland, Zambia, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe, the text identifies common trends in disease transmission, the failure of states to implement timely policies, and the specific challenges faced by defence forces regarding recruitment, operational effectiveness, and the social dynamics of testing.

This document consists of a series of resolutions and declarations adopted by the Council of Ministers and the Conference of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) during its 23rd Ordinary Session held in Mogadishu, Somalia, from June 6 to 15, 1974. The resolutions cover a wide range of geopolitical, economic, and social issues, including the decolonization of Portuguese, Spanish, British, and French territories, the fight against apartheid in South Africa and Namibia, the management of drought in Africa, and the establishment of various pan-African technical and administrative bodies.

This document consists of Annex VI and three Protocols of an agreement between the European Community and ACP (African, Caribbean, and Pacific) States. It defines the lists of least-developed, landlocked, and island ACP States, establishes rules for the operating expenditure and privileges of joint institutions, and outlines the qualified status of South Africa's participation in the agreement.

This trainer's guide provides a comprehensive curriculum for the EAPCCO United Nations Police Officers Course (UNPOC), designed to prepare police personnel for deployment in UN and African Union (AU) peace support operations. It covers the institutional frameworks of the UN and AU, the 'Capstone Doctrine' for peacekeeping, legal frameworks, human rights, and operational techniques such as negotiation, radio communication, and safety awareness. The guide includes theoretical modules, case studies on conduct and discipline, and a detailed field exercise called 'Furugo Kali' to simulate real-world mission scenarios.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the perceptions of South Sudanese refugees in Ethiopia and Uganda regarding the conflict in their home country and the IGAD-led peace process. Based on interviews conducted in July 2018, the document highlights a significant gap in communication between peace negotiators and refugee populations, widespread frustration with political leadership, and deep divisions over the future administrative structure of South Sudan.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the drivers of inter-ethnic and communal violence in Ethiopia between October 2019 and the end of 2020. It identifies a combination of militant ethno-nationalism, ideological divides between pan-Ethiopianism and ethnonationalism, and state fragility as primary causes of instability during the country's political transition.