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The document examines Africa's ICT infrastructure, noting that while mobile penetration has grown, the continent still lags globally in internet usage, download speeds, and affordability. It highlights the dominant role of private sector investment and the influence of Chinese technology firms, while recommending targeted policies to expand rural access and improve regulatory capacity.

The document examines the use of Bhungroo, an innovative rainwater harvesting system, to support underprivileged female farmers in Gujarat, India. By providing women with ownership of the technology and the technical skills to manage it, the initiative has improved agricultural productivity, reduced groundwater salinity, and increased women's decision-making power and social status. The project has reached over 20,000 marginal farmers and contributed to the reverse migration of approximately 6,100 farmers back to rural areas.

The document examines how COVID-19 disrupted African extractive industries through reduced global demand, supply chain failures, and operational shutdowns. It highlights the vulnerability of oil-dependent economies like Nigeria and the specific challenges facing South Africa's mining sector. Conversely, it identifies a 'silver lining' in the increased demand for gold due to its role in rapid antibody tests. The report argues that the crisis provides a governance opportunity for African nations to diversify their economies, reduce reliance on Chinese demand, and implement structural reforms to protect property rights and broaden tax bases.

The study finds that Ghana's fiscal decentralization is undermined by a heavy reliance on unpredictable central government transfers, fragmented allocation mechanisms, and weak local capacity to mobilize Internally Generated Funds (IGF). It recommends synchronizing fund release cycles with local budget preparation, reviewing laws governing the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) and Stool Lands revenue, and investing in revenue management technology and staff training.

The strategy identifies key climate-vulnerable sectors in Ghana—including agriculture, construction, finance, and mining—and outlines a roadmap for integrating private sector actors into the National Adaptation Plan (NAP). It analyzes barriers such as high interest rates, low awareness, and limited technical capacity, proposing solutions like blended finance, sector-specific training, and the use of business membership organizations (BMOs) as conduits for engagement. The document emphasizes a 'business case' for adaptation, focusing on risk management and new market opportunities, and provides a set of guiding principles to ensure dynamic and efficient public-private collaboration.

The report identifies critical vulnerabilities in Ghana's infrastructure due to rising temperatures, variable rainfall, and sea-level rise. It proposes a comprehensive set of technical and policy adaptations across the water, energy, and transport sectors, emphasizing inter-ministerial collaboration, gender-responsive planning, and the need for sustainable domestic and international financing.

The toolkit outlines a strategic framework for governments to integrate the private sector into National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), emphasizing that private actors are not only sources of finance but also key implementers of adaptation options. It structures engagement across four elements: laying the groundwork, preparatory elements, implementation strategies, and reporting/monitoring. The document argues that early engagement is critical for sustainability and provides a business case for private sector participation based on risk management, new market opportunities, and regulatory compliance.

The document serves as a supplement to the UNFCCC technical guidelines, outlining how to integrate private companies and financiers into the four main elements of the NAP process. It argues that private sector involvement is critical for financing, implementation, and the overall sustainability of climate adaptation efforts. The guide details a step-by-step approach: analyzing the national context, establishing communication, creating enabling environments (addressing information, finance, and capacity gaps), and integrating private sector data into monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems. It emphasizes the importance of including MSMEs and women-led businesses to ensure gender-responsive and inclusive adaptation outcomes.

The document serves as a supplement to the UNFCCC Technical Guidelines for the NAP process, arguing that private sector involvement is essential for funding, implementation, and the overall sustainability of climate adaptation. It outlines a four-element framework—preparatory work, preparatory phase, implementation strategies, and monitoring/review—to integrate private companies and financiers into national strategies. The toolkit emphasizes the 'business case' for adaptation, highlighting risk management and new market opportunities as primary drivers for private sector participation, while stressing the need for gender-responsive approaches to ensure inclusive resilience.

The statement argues that the COVID-19 pandemic has created an urgent need for governments to focus all resources on public health, specifically the procurement of medical supplies, vaccines, and medicines. It calls for the immediate suspension of trade and investment negotiations at the WTO, bilateral, and regional levels, asserting that such activities divert critical resources and personnel. The authors highlight that intellectual property rules under the WTO's TRIPS agreement and free trade agreements may obstruct the affordability and accessibility of life-saving supplies. The document demands the removal of all trade barriers and unilateral sanctions that hinder medical procurement and urges a fundamental rethink of trade rules that encourage monopolies and limit healthcare access.

Friends of the Earth International and a broad coalition of global endorsers call for an immediate cessation of trade and investment treaty negotiations. They argue that governments, particularly in developing and least developed countries, lack the resources to engage in these negotiations while managing the COVID-19 health crisis. The statement demands that trade negotiators focus exclusively on removing obstacles, such as intellectual property rules and unilateral sanctions, that hinder access to affordable vaccines, medicines, and diagnostics.

The Institute for Economic Justice argues that South Africa's initial R41 billion COVID-19 rescue package is insufficient and proposes a more realistic injection of at least R310 billion, plus R100 billion in short-term financing. The proposal focuses on four main spending areas: health funding (R20 billion), income support (R211.5 billion), wage guarantees (R60 billion), and business support (R150 billion). To fund this, the IEJ suggests a combination of short-term borrowing, utilizing the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) surplus, issuing 'social solidarity bonds', and implementing a solidarity tax on high earners. The plan also includes measures to stabilize the economy, such as managing capital flows and securing US Dollar swap lines.

The Institute for Economic Justice argues that the South African government's R41 billion rescue package is insufficient to counter a projected GDP fall of 6% to 8%. The brief proposes a total intervention of R411.5 billion, comprising R310 billion for direct economic injection and R100 billion for tax and payment deferrals. Key recommendations include a once-off Universal Basic Income (UBI) of R4,500 for all adults, expanded social grants, and a scaled-up wage support scheme (TERS) to prevent mass unemployment. To stabilize the macroeconomy, the brief suggests the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) continue purchasing bonds, implement capital flow management, and secure dollar swap lines with the US Federal Reserve. Financing options include special COVID-19 bonds, solidarity taxes on high earners, and the deployment of UIF surpluses. The document also advocates for South Africa to lead a G20 coalition to secure better financing terms and debt relief for emerging markets and least developed countries.

The document examines barriers to climate finance in sub-Saharan Africa, arguing that while recipient capacity is often blamed, donor-centric processes and a lack of standardized definitions are root causes. It recommends that donors undertake internal reviews to streamline access, provide better needs-assessment guidance, and establish consolidated platforms for funding information.

The 2020 Easter Scorecard methodology assesses major cocoa traders and chocolate manufacturers across six sustainability categories: mandatory due diligence, transparency and traceability, deforestation and climate, agroforestry, living incomes, and child labor. Companies are graded with colored 'eggs' (green, yellow, or red) based on questionnaire responses, with a final score represented by an 'Easter bunny'. The framework emphasizes the necessity of mandatory regulation and traceability as foundations for other reforms, while highlighting the role of agroforestry in carbon sequestration and biodiversity.

The 2020 Easter Scorecard methodology assesses the largest chocolate companies across six sustainability categories: due diligence, transparency and traceability, deforestation and climate, agroforestry, living income, and child labor. Companies are graded using a color-coded system (green, yellow, red) based on survey responses, with individual 'egg scores' contributing to a final 'bunny score'. The framework emphasizes the need for mandatory regulation over voluntary efforts and evaluates specific metrics such as traceability to the farm level, net zero carbon targets, and the implementation of child labor monitoring and remediation systems.

Sub-Saharan Africa is the most expensive region globally for remittances, with an average cost of 8.9% of transaction value. The report identifies critical supply-side barriers including onerous KYC requirements, lack of digital ecosystems, and fragmented payment infrastructure. It recommends a shift toward risk-proportional AML-CFT regulation, the adoption of digital identity systems, and the integration of regional payment rails to reduce informality and costs.

The report examines the practice of incumbents stepping aside before presidential elections in Cabo Verde and Madagascar. It argues that while not a complete solution, this practice helps level the electoral playing field by denying incumbents direct control over state resources and security agencies during campaigns. The author suggests that for the practice to be effective, it must be supported by clear constitutional provisions, political will, and broader good governance reforms.

The study applies microenvironmental modelling in Accra, Ghana, to determine personal PM2.5 exposure. It finds that charcoal cooking significantly increases exposure for women and children compared to LPG, with residential cooking accounting for over 60% of total exposure in charcoal-using households.

The document identifies significant barriers to financing sustainable cooling, including the diversity of needs across human comfort, agriculture, and health sectors, and a lack of global tracking for cooling-specific investments. It argues that while private capital is abundant, it is often too risk-averse for the innovative or low-income contexts where cooling is most needed. The brief highlights the role of the Kigali Cooling Efficiency Program (K-CEP) and suggests leveraging blended finance, national cooling action plans, and bulk procurement to scale solutions. It specifically emphasizes the need to coordinate funding for refrigerant replacement (via the Montreal Protocol) with energy efficiency improvements to maximize climate benefits.