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This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the application of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) within the mining sector. It distinguishes SEA from project-level Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIA), positioning SEA as a strategic tool to integrate environmental and social considerations into policies, plans, and programs (PPPs). Through case studies from Namibia, Ghana, Romania, Mozambique, and Canada, the document demonstrates how SEA can optimize infrastructure, improve governance of artisanal mining, and manage mine closures, while identifying key institutional and political obstacles to its implementation.

This research paper examines the tension in Germany's trade and investment policy toward Africa, contrasting a history of corporate-led 'geoeconomic' interests with a more recent shift toward a morality-based foreign policy. The author argues that Germany has an opportunity to move away from extractivist models and instead support African economic self-determination through domestic resource mobilisation and regional industrial complementarities.

This policy brief from the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the rising public debt burden in Africa, the complexities of its current composition, and the necessary reforms to the global financial architecture. It argues that while the G20 has established mechanisms like the Common Framework and the Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI), these are insufficient. The document proposes that the African Union (AU), as a new permanent member of the G20, should advocate for an African Credit Rating Agency, an African Debt Monitoring Mechanism, and a more inclusive debt restructuring process that includes private creditors and provides longer repayment periods.

This guidance note, published by the Global Resilience Partnership in December 2023, examines 24 marginal, small-scale initiatives termed "Seeds" within African food systems. The document analyzes how these initiatives contribute to equity and sustainability, the barriers they encounter, and how development partners can better support them to achieve systemic transformation.

The December 2023/January 2024 edition of the Peace & Security Council Report evaluates the African Union's (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC) performance in 2023, highlighting a trend toward discussing thematic issues over sensitive country crises. It examines the challenges of consensus-based decision-making, the upcoming 2024 AU chairship and PSC membership elections, and the potential impact of the UN's New Agenda for Peace on African security architecture.

This briefing, submitted by Natural Justice and the Environmental Lawyers Collective for Africa (E.L.C.A), provides commentary on a zero draft study by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) regarding the impact of climate change on human and people's rights in Africa. The document evaluates the study's identification of vulnerable groups and rights, critiques its approach to corporate accountability and extractive industries, and offers recommendations to strengthen the protection of indigenous peoples, children, and the environment through legal and monitoring frameworks.

This research paper by the International Institute for Sustainable Development analyzes the role of the UNFCCC in addressing fossil fuel subsidies, specifically focusing on opportunities at COP 28 and beyond. It highlights the gap between government rhetoric and the record USD 1.3 trillion in subsidies provided in 2022, arguing that the UNFCCC can strengthen global commitments through clear deadlines, improved transparency in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and integration into climate finance discussions.

This briefing note by the Institute for Security Studies examines the outlook for natural gas in Africa up to 2043, highlighting the tension between significant proven reserves and a global market facing slowing demand and potential supply gluts.

This briefing note outlines the current state and future prospects of nuclear energy in Africa, detailing existing infrastructure in South Africa, ongoing construction in Egypt, and the exploratory interests of other nations.

This scoping report by the Africa Policy Research Institute examines the intersection of green technology and youth employment in Africa. It identifies a significant gap between the potential for job creation in green technology and the current design of major funding programmes, while highlighting opportunities in ICTs, indigenous knowledge, and local manufacturing.

This report by Zero Carbon Analytics examines the role of smallholder farmers in global food security, their productivity, and their adoption of sustainable agricultural practices. It highlights that small-scale farms, particularly those between two and five hectares, produce a significant portion of the world's food and often exhibit higher land productivity and biodiversity than larger farms. The document emphasizes the importance of integrating smallholders into modern agrifood supply chains and providing financial resources to scale climate-smart agricultural practices, especially in Africa.

This research paper by FSD Africa analyzes the integration of gender strategies within the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) of 31 African countries. Using the IUCN's Environment and Gender Information (EGI) framework, the study finds that while most African NDCs mention gender, there is a significant lack of gender analysis, sex-disaggregated data, and gender-responsive budgeting. The paper highlights a disconnect between the mobilization of climate finance and gender intentionality, noting that countries with high funding levels often fail to prioritize gender-responsive budgets.

This fact sheet from the Institute for Economic Justice argues that a Guaranteed Universal Basic Income (UBIG) empowers individuals to build sustainable livelihoods and stimulates local economic growth through investment and a multiplier effect on consumption.

This fact sheet from the Institute for Economic Justice explains how a Universal Basic Income Guarantee (UBIG) can empower individuals to escape poverty and stimulate local economies. It argues that providing a guaranteed basic income allows people to invest in productive activities and creates a 'multiplier effect' that benefits the broader economy, drawing on evidence from various global cash transfer programs.

This report examines parental leave policies within the large-scale mining sector, comparing international standards, national laws across 12 countries, and the specific policies of major mining companies. It highlights a discrepancy between formal policies and the actual workplace culture, which often contributes to a "leaky pipeline" where women leave the industry at earlier career stages.

The November 2023 Peace & Security Council Report examines the diplomatic implications of the first Saudi-Africa summit, the coordination between the AU Peace and Security Council (PSC) and the UN Security Council's A3 members, the precarious state of South Sudan's transition toward elections, and the AU's efforts to integrate youth into peacebuilding and economic integration via AfCFTA.

This briefing note provides guidance for finance ministers of debtor countries participating in the Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable (GSDR). It argues for the establishment of guiding principles for domestic debt restructuring (DDR) to ensure that long-term economic growth and poverty reduction are prioritized and that the burden of adjustment is shared fairly between domestic and foreign creditors.

This report by the Alliance for Renewable Electrification (ARE) and the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) analyzes the potential for decentralized renewable energy (DRE) to create green jobs in rural West Africa, specifically focusing on Ghana and Senegal. The study develops a standardized methodology to calculate direct employment using an 'employment factor' and compares current employment levels with 2030 projections under 'status quo' and 'future-oriented' policy scenarios.

This report by the Alliance for Renewable Electrification (ARE) and Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) examines the potential for direct green job creation through Decentralised Renewable Energy (DRE) in Ghana and Senegal. It establishes a methodology for calculating an 'Employment Factor' to estimate jobs per kWp of installed capacity and provides scenarios for job growth by 2030 based on different policy approaches. The study highlights that DRE can serve as a catalyst for formalising employment in regions with high informal sector activity and can significantly increase induced employment through productive uses of energy.

This fact sheet, published by the Alliance for Renewable Electrification in October 2023, outlines the potential for decentralized renewable energy (DRE) to create green jobs in West Africa, specifically focusing on Ghana and Senegal. It advocates for public-private collaboration and specific policy interventions to catalyze employment and rural electrification.