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This policy brief by the African Center for Economic Transformation examines the challenges of youth unemployment in Africa and evaluates school-to-work transition programs. It highlights a systemic trade-off between the scale and quality of these initiatives, noting that large-scale programs often lack relevant training, while high-quality programs fail to reach a significant portion of the youth population.

This report by the Africa Policy Research Institute (APRI) examines climate change adaptation policies and locally led adaptation (LLA) in Ghana. Through literature reviews, stakeholder workshops, and three case studies, the research identifies barriers to local implementation—such as limited funding and poor institutional coordination—and provides recommendations to better integrate community-level needs into Ghana's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

This policy brief examines the prevalence and risk factors of online child sexual exploitation and abuse (OCSEA) in Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, and Cape Verde. It identifies significant gaps in victim identification, legal frameworks, and prosecution, while noting an increase in child sexual exploitation and abuse materials (CSEAM) uploads since 2019.

This policy brief examines the prevalence and risk factors of online child sexual exploitation and abuse (OCSEA) in Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, and Cabo Verde. It highlights a significant gap between official data and actual prevalence, noting that OCSEA is likely drastically underreported due to social stigma and weak identification processes. The document identifies systemic failures in legal frameworks, law enforcement capacity, and victim support, while recommending regional harmonization of laws and increased collaboration between governments and the technology sector.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the intersection of violent extremism and illicit economies in northern Côte d’Ivoire between 2019 and 2023. It specifically analyzes how extremist groups, including those linked to GSIM and IS Sahel, have infiltrated the livestock economy and illegal artisanal gold mining to secure funding, logistics, and human resources. The document details a three-phase security sequence in the north-east, moving from exploratory incursions to active attacks and a subsequent lull, while providing policy recommendations for regulating the mining and livestock sectors to deprive these groups of resources.

This report by the Africa Policy Research Institute examines the potential impacts of the G7 Climate Club on African countries. While acknowledging the goal of achieving global net-zero emissions by mid-century, the author argues that the Club's current design—particularly its focus on rapid decarbonisation and carbon-leakage reduction—could undermine African economic growth, energy security, and industrialisation. The report calls for a co-designed approach that prioritises climate justice, technological transfer, and financial support over trade-based sanctions.

This research paper examines illicit financial flows (IFFs) stemming from migrant smuggling in Senegal and Sierra Leone. It analyzes how smuggling proceeds are generated, moved through formal and informal channels, and laundered into legitimate sectors. The report highlights a significant gap between the existence of anti-money laundering policies and their practical implementation, noting that financial intelligence units in both countries lack the resources and expertise to effectively 'follow the money' in smuggling cases.

This policy brief examines illicit financial flows (IFFs) resulting from migrant smuggling in Senegal and Sierra Leone. It identifies a significant gap between the existence of anti-money laundering laws and the actual investigation of smuggling proceeds, which are primarily moved through cash and informal channels. The document highlights institutional weaknesses, including underfunded financial intelligence units and corruption, and provides recommendations to prioritize 'follow the money' approaches to disrupt smuggling networks.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs outlines the systemic challenges facing food production in Africa and proposes specific interventions for the G20 to help the continent avoid missing the UN Sustainable Development Goals 2030 and AU Agenda 2063 targets.

This research paper analyzes the evolving energy relations between Germany and Africa, noting a shift from traditional development cooperation toward a broader approach combining energy diplomacy, foreign policy, and technical cooperation. The author highlights a tension between Germany's commitment to a 'just transition' and its strategic interests in securing both renewable energy (particularly green hydrogen) and fossil fuel imports to ensure energy security.

This research paper by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) examines the disparity between solar energy potential and installed capacity in developing economies, attributing the gap to high costs of capital driven by sovereign and off-taker risks. The authors propose the establishment of a Global Credit Guarantee Facility (GCGF) to de-risk cross-border financing and lower risk premiums for renewable energy projects in Emerging Market & Development Economy (EMDE) countries.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies examines how violent extremist groups, specifically JNIM and ISGS, exploit illicit activities in northern Benin to secure financial, logistical, and human resources. It documents established links to fuel smuggling, illegal hunting, and drug trafficking, while identifying emerging risks associated with artisanal gold mining and arms trafficking.

This research paper examines the illicit proliferation of small arms and light weapons (SALW) in the West African Sahel, focusing on Burkina Faso, Niger, and Nigeria. It identifies specific tri-border 'nodes' that facilitate trafficking and analyzes the socio-economic and security drivers, key actors, and the impact of these flows on regional stability and local economies.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs evaluates the effectiveness of African Union (AU) mechanisms, specifically the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) and the Africa Governance Report (AGR), in improving governance across Africa. The author concludes that governance standards have generally remained static or declined since 1996, and that while APRM membership correlates with better performance, the review process itself does not guarantee improvement.

This case study discusses the role of coordinated investment promotion and regional value chains in the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), specifically highlighting the proposed Pan-African Trade and Investment Agency and the potential for growth in the automotive sector.

This research paper analyzes the 'paradigm shift' in German migration policy under the current coalition government, specifically its impact on African partner countries. While the government aims to transform Germany into a modern immigration country by attracting skilled workers, the author argues that the policy remains rooted in old concepts, primarily linking legal migration pathways to increased cooperation on the repatriation of migrants.

This research paper analyzes the German government's announced 'paradigm shift' in migration policy, which aims to transform Germany into a modern immigration country by easing access for qualified workers. The authors argue that despite the rhetoric, the policy remains rooted in old methods, heavily conditioning legal pathways on the acceleration of returns and continuing the externalization of migration control in Africa.

This policy brief examines illicit financial flows (IFFs) resulting from migrant smuggling in Senegal and Sierra Leone. It highlights a systemic failure to employ 'follow the money' investigative techniques, noting that smuggling revenues are frequently laundered through cash-based informal systems and invested in formal sectors like real estate and hospitality. The document identifies significant institutional gaps, including underfunded Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs) and corruption within law enforcement and the judiciary, and provides recommendations for strengthening regulatory frameworks and regional cooperation.

The May 2023 Peace & Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the African Union's (AU) responses to crises in Sudan and Chad, the slow adoption of structural vulnerability assessments, the complexities of the AU-EU partnership, and the challenges facing the 'Silencing the Guns' initiative.

This research paper examines the evolution of German-African energy relations, tracing the shift from a primary focus on development cooperation and energy poverty to a more complex framework involving energy diplomacy, technology-driven cooperation, and strategic geopolitical interests. The author analyzes the tensions between 'green' and 'fossilist' objectives, the risks associated with the roll-out of hydrogen diplomacy, and the trend toward the financialization of development through multi-stakeholder partnerships.