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This fact sheet presents findings from a June 2020 survey of 68 insurance sector players across 19 jurisdictions in Eastern and Southern Africa, conducted by FSD Africa, the Organisation of Eastern and Southern Insurers (OESAI), and Cenfri. The document details how COVID-19 accelerated digitalization, negatively impacted operational stability and premium collection, and highlighted gaps in risk coverage for businesses.

This June 2020 report from the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the activities of the African Union's Peace and Security Council (PSC), focusing on regional coordination against COVID-19, the political and security situation in Somalia, institutional reforms within the AU Commission, and the challenges of borderland security and youth engagement.

The Bhungroo rainwater harvesting system in Gujarat, India, empowers marginal women farmers by providing them with ownership of water-management technology. This has led to increased agricultural productivity, the conversion of fallow land to cultivable land, and the eventual transfer of land ownership to women. The initiative has reached over 20,000 farmers and contributed to the reverse migration of approximately 6,100 farmers.

The May 2020 Peace & Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the African Union's (AU) challenges in the Sahel, the human rights risks associated with COVID-19 states of emergency, the adaptation of peace support operations (PSOs) to the pandemic, and the economic threat to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It also analyzes the potential shift in the global order and the need for Africa to reduce its dependence on external support.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the barriers sub-Saharan African countries face in accessing climate change finance. It argues that while capacity deficiencies in recipient countries are often highlighted, donor-centric processes, complex requirements, and a lack of standardized definitions significantly contribute to these challenges. The document recommends that donors undertake internal reviews to streamline processes and collaborate with recipients to establish a universal definition of climate finance.

This research paper describes the first application of a microenvironmental modelling approach in Accra, Ghana, to estimate personal exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) across different age and gender groups. The study utilizes the INDAIR dynamic model and a steady-state model to analyze how different home, work, school, and transport environments contribute to overall exposure, specifically highlighting the impact of cooking fuels.

This research paper outlines the strategic opportunities for South Africa in 2020 as it concurrently chairs the African Union (AU) and serves as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. The author argues that South Africa can reclaim its continental prestige by focusing on three priority areas: conflict resolution ('Silencing the Guns'), the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), and the improvement of governance through the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM).

This report synthesizes lessons from six country case studies to provide recommendations for designing 'Energy Safety Nets'—social assistance mechanisms intended to ensure the poorest populations can afford both the initial connection to and the ongoing consumption of modern energy services to meet SDG7 goals by 2030.

This guide provides a framework for policymakers and financiers on implementing Energy Safety Nets to ensure the poorest populations can access modern energy services, drawing on experiences from six countries.

This policy brief examines the slow adoption of the AU Convention on Cyber Security and Personal Data Protection and suggests that the African Union adopt the 'norm entrepreneur' approach of the European Union. It highlights Mauritius as a regional success story and recommends the AU implement agile governance principles and create a continental cybersecurity agency similar to ENISA to better protect citizens and combat cybercrime.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) estimates the public funding required by 2030 to end hunger, double the incomes of smallholder farmers, and maintain agricultural greenhouse gas emissions within the limits of the Paris Agreement. Using a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model, the authors determine that donors must nearly double their current annual contributions to food security, supplemented by increased domestic tax revenue in low- and middle-income countries.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) estimates the public investment required to eradicate hunger, double the incomes of small-scale producers, and maintain agricultural greenhouse gas emissions within Paris Agreement limits by 2030. Using a computable general equilibrium model, the authors determine that donors must increase their annual contributions by 14 billion USD, complemented by 19 billion USD from low- and middle-income countries, to achieve these goals.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) estimates the public spending required to end hunger, double the incomes of small-scale producers, and maintain agricultural greenhouse gas emissions within Paris Agreement limits by 2030. It identifies a significant funding gap, requiring both an increase in official development assistance (ODA) and higher domestic taxation in low- and middle-income countries.

This policy brief examines the progress and challenges of integrating youth into the African Union's (AU) peace and security agenda, focusing on the Youth for Peace (Y4P) Africa Program. It outlines the evolution of normative frameworks, the role of the AU's decision-making bodies, and provides recommendations for member states, regional mechanisms, and youth networks to move beyond tokenistic involvement toward meaningful participation.

This executive summary from Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) analyzes the gap between financial commitments and actual disbursements for energy projects in 20 high-impact countries (HICs) across Africa and Asia. Using OECD Creditor Reporting System (CRS) data, the report highlights that while energy finance disbursements grew faster than overall development finance between 2013 and 2018, they still significantly lag behind commitments, hindering the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7).

This 2020 report by Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) analyzes the gap between financial commitments and actual disbursements for energy access in High-Impact Countries (HICs). Using OECD Creditor Reporting System (CRS) data, it evaluates the efficiency of development financing for electricity and clean cooking, identifying systemic delays and project design flaws that hinder the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7).

This report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the interconnected dynamics of violent extremism, transnational organised crime, and local conflicts in the Liptako-Gourma region, spanning Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. Based on approximately 800 interviews, the study argues that extremist groups are pragmatic actors that exploit local economic vulnerabilities, governance failures, and community tensions to sustain their operations and expand their influence.

This briefing note from the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) outlines recommendations for UNFCCC Parties at COP-25 to integrate human rights, gender equality, and participatory processes into climate action. It emphasizes the need for rights-based safeguards in Article 6 market mechanisms, the ratification of the Escazú Agreement, and the protection of indigenous peoples and local communities in adaptation and loss and damage frameworks.

This briefing note from the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) argues for the integration of procedural rights—specifically access to information, public participation, and access to justice—into climate governance and the implementation of the Paris Agreement. It highlights the roles of the Aarhus Convention and the Escazú Agreement in promoting environmental democracy and provides specific recommendations for the COP-25 agenda to ensure climate policies are inclusive, rights-based, and gender-responsive.

This case study describes a partnership between Fidelity Bank Ghana Limited (FBGL) and FSD Africa to increase financial inclusion through 'Project 5x5x5', which utilizes a low-KYC 'Smart Account' and an agent network to reach unbanked and underserved populations in Ghana.