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This policy brief analyzes the evolving migration relations between the African Union (AU) and the European Union (EU) leading up to the November 2017 AU-EU Summit in Abidjan. It highlights a fundamental mismatch in priorities: the EU focuses on stemming irregular migration and border control, while African nations prioritize development, employment, and the management of remittances. The author critiques the EU's use of aid conditionality through the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa (EUTF) and notes the lack of a unified African position on migration, which weakens the continent's leverage in bilateral and international negotiations.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies examines Liberia's transition to a peaceful democracy ahead of the October 2017 elections and the final drawdown of the UN peacekeeping mission (UNMIL) in March 2018. It argues that while Liberia has made progress, it requires a more coordinated approach to peacebuilding that leverages the comparative advantages of African regional and subregional organisations—such as the AU, ECOWAS, and the MRU—alongside traditional donors and the UN Peacebuilding Commission (PBC).

This fact sheet from the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) outlines the evolution of China-Africa relations, tracing them from historical ties to contemporary economic, diplomatic, and security partnerships. It highlights the role of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and the shift in China's approach from 'non-interference' to active engagement in peace and security, while noting the impact of China's 'new normal' economic slowdown on bilateral trade and investment.

This policy briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines electoral trends in Africa based on elections held in 2015 and early 2016. While noting progress in democratic institution building since the 1990s, the authors identify four critical trends—constitutional manipulation, electoral calendar tampering, harassment of opposition, and low voter turnout—that threaten to reverse democratic gains. The document advocates for stricter adherence to African Union (AU) and Regional Economic Community (REC) standards to ensure credible and inclusive elections.

The document summarizes the conclusions of a seminar held on 9 December 2016 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, focused on assistance and capacity-building for the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1540, disarmament, and non-proliferation of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) weapons in Africa.

This World Resources Institute working paper analyzes the alignment between the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) submitted under the Paris Agreement and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda. By mapping climate actions across 92 INDCs, the authors demonstrate that climate policies often generate mutual benefits for sustainable development, though these synergies are frequently unrecognized or uncoordinated at the national level due to institutional silos.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies assesses the maritime security landscape in Togo as of August 2016. It details the country's progress in reducing piracy since 2012, the challenges facing its fisheries sector and port infrastructure, and the structural reforms implemented to coordinate state action at sea. The document also discusses the significance of the African Union's Extraordinary Summit on Maritime Security, Safety and Development scheduled to be hosted in Lomé.

This policy brief from the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the evolving security relationship between China and Africa. It analyzes how China is shifting from a strict policy of non-interference toward deeper engagement in both traditional military security and non-traditional threats, including the protection of its citizens, pandemic response, and environmental conservation, increasingly through multilateral frameworks.

This policy brief analyzes the 2015 United Nations peacebuilding review, which advocates for a shift from 'post-conflict peacebuilding' to a holistic approach termed 'sustaining peace.' The authors examine how UN member states can implement these recommendations to prioritize conflict prevention and address the root causes of conflict through better coordination between UN organs and increased partnerships with regional organizations.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs argues that South Africa should expand its foreign policy by reconceiving its engagement with Latin America and Africa as a unified 'South Atlantic Zone'. The authors suggest that this framework can enhance maritime security, promote the 'blue economy' through initiatives like Operation Phakisa, and increase trade and cultural ties among littoral states.

This policy brief examines South Africa's two terms as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council (UNSC) in 2007–2008 and 2011–2012. It focuses on South Africa's efforts to strengthen the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) by formalising institutional links between the UNSC and the African Union (AU), advocating for predictable financial resources, and promoting the role of regional organisations in security management under Chapter VIII of the UN Charter.

This research paper examines the strategic importance of the South Atlantic Zone for South Africa's foreign policy, arguing that treating the region as a single entity can bridge the divide between African and Latin American engagements. It highlights opportunities for cooperation in maritime security, the 'blue economy' through Operation Phakisa, and South-South economic and cultural collaboration, while noting that current trade levels remain low despite significant potential.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the conflict between extractive industries and the conservation of Protected Areas (PAs) and World Heritage (WH) sites in Africa. It argues for the strict enforcement of 'no-go zones' in WH sites and the implementation of rigorous biodiversity management standards for mining in other PAs to prevent irreversible ecological damage.

The May 2015 issue of the Peace & Security Council Report examines the African Union's (AU) efforts to integrate women into the security sector, the doctrinal and financial tensions in the AU-UN peacekeeping partnership, the instability and humanitarian crisis in Libya, and the lessons learned from the AU's first mission to counter the Ebola outbreak in West Africa.

This policy briefing examines the role of the African Union (AU) Panel of the Wise (PoW) in employing preventive diplomacy to mitigate electoral-related conflicts in Africa. It analyzes the tension between prioritizing 'peace' over electoral legitimacy and evaluates the effectiveness of the PoW's interventions based on the timing of action and the structural nature of the conflicts involved.

This 2015 report by Sustainable Energy for All, commissioned by the ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE), analyzes the intersection of energy access and gender inequality across the 15 ECOWAS Member States. It identifies systemic barriers that prevent women from participating equally in the energy sector and highlights how energy poverty disproportionately affects women and girls due to socially determined gender roles. The document serves as the foundational analysis for the development of the ECOWAS Policy for Gender Mainstreaming in Energy Access, aiming for universal energy access by 2030.

The November 2014 issue of the Peace & Security Council (PSC) Report details the African Union's (AU) interventions in Burkina Faso, its monitoring of various African elections, and its strategic focus on state fragility. It also provides a comprehensive analysis of the Ebola epidemic's impact on socio-political stability in West Africa and the international community's response.

This policy brief analyzes the differing health diplomacy approaches of China and the West during the 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa. It contrasts 'vertical' interventions, which target specific diseases, with 'horizontal' systems that build general healthcare infrastructure, arguing that a combination of both is necessary for long-term pandemic prevention.

This policy briefing analyzes the efforts of Côte d’Ivoire to regain its regional leadership position in West Africa following two decades of political instability. It examines the country's diplomatic assets, the challenges it faces in internal stability and institutional capacity, and its alignment with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Vision 2020 goals.

The September 2014 Peace & Security Council (PSC) Report by the Institute for Security Studies details the African Union's (AU) response to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, the transition of peacekeeping forces in the Central African Republic, the escalating civil conflict in Libya, and the failing peace process and imminent famine in South Sudan.