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This policy brief examines the role of the extractive industries (EIs) in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and argues for a shift from 'trickle-down economics' toward an inclusive green growth strategy to mitigate environmental degradation and social harm.

The July 2014 Peace & Security Council (PSC) Report by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the African Union's (AU) handling of unconstitutional changes of government in Egypt, the deteriorating security situation in Libya, the challenges of post-conflict reconstruction and development (PCRD) in Africa, and the strategic partnership between the AU PSC and the UN Security Council.

This policy note from the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the challenges and progress in African fisheries governance, focusing on the tension between economic development, environmental sustainability, and social justice. It analyzes the roles of small-scale and industrial fisheries, the impact of illegal, unregulated, and unreported (IUU) fishing, and the transition toward co-management systems to address the limitations of centralized governance.

This research paper by Carlos Milani analyzes the evolution of Brazilian foreign policy, specifically its South–South co-operation (SSC) strategies. It argues for a shift in conceptualizing foreign policy as a 'public policy' rather than a static state policy, reflecting a plurality of domestic actors and interests. The document details Brazil's engagement with Africa and other developing nations through technical co-operation, trade, and political coalitions like BRICS and IBSA, while noting the strategic role of both state agencies and private corporations in these efforts.

This research paper identifies three primary pressure points affecting the South African mining sector: a challenging macro-economic and global environment, structural and political risks including infrastructure gaps and labor unrest, and the need to better leverage existing competitive advantages such as reserve size and financial services.

This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies examines the causes and consequences of violent inter-communal clashes between the Konianké and Guerzé communities in Guinea's Forest Region, specifically focusing on events in July 2013.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies analyses the political crisis in Guinea as of June 2013, focusing on the deadlock surrounding the legislative elections and the persistent ethnic tensions between the Peul and Malinké communities following the 2010 presidential elections.

The June 2013 Peace and Security Council (PSC) Report by the Institute for Security Studies provides detailed analysis of security crises in Somalia and Mali, evaluates the outcomes of the May 2013 AU Summit, and identifies early warning issues across Africa.

The National Chairman's Annual Statement of the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA), delivered on 27 March 2013, analyzes South Africa's strategic position within a multipolar world. It discusses the role of the BRICS forum, the necessity of strengthening ties with other African regional powers, and the impact of domestic instability and military casualties in the Central African Republic on South Africa's global prestige and soft power.

This August 2012 report by the Institute for Security Studies provides early warning analyses on political and security crises in Mali, Libya, Angola, and Somalia, while examining the evolving role of China in African peace and security efforts.

This 2012 report examines the state of conservation in Sierra Leone, highlighting that only 4% of its land is protected. It details how the 1991–2002 civil war devastated environmental management and how current pressures from mining, industrial agriculture, and population growth continue to threaten biodiversity. The authors argue that while conservation can support peacebuilding through job creation and benefit-sharing (e.g., the Gola Forest Programme), it can also trigger conflict if it limits resource access or fails to compensate communities for wildlife damage. The report recommends strengthening legislative frameworks, improving stakeholder coordination, and implementing conflict-sensitive management strategies.

The Annual Partner Survey 2011-2012 report details the results of a voluntary survey conducted by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) in late 2011. The survey gathered feedback from 202 participants—including NGOs, individual consultants, and research institutes—regarding the quality of CDKN's products, its effectiveness in knowledge sharing and partnership facilitation, and its overall influence on organizational practices and policies.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies examines the potential socio-economic impacts of increasing investment in basic education across Africa. Using the International Futures (IFs) modelling system, the authors simulate a scenario where African nations adopt the enrolment and completion growth rates of the continent's best-performing countries. The analysis suggests that a modest increase in GDP allocation to education could lead to significant long-term gains in GDP, poverty reduction, and public health, although these benefits would be realized over several decades.

In a speech delivered on November 10, 2011, at the South African Institute of International Affairs, French Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Alain Juppé discussed the necessity of a new global governance framework that integrates Africa's emerging influence. He outlined four primary shared challenges—economic crisis, development, security, and the environment—and advocated for the reform of the UN Security Council and the creation of a World Environment Organisation to better reflect current global realities.

This report documents a seminar held in July 2011 by the Pan-African Parliament, in collaboration with the IISD and PLAAS, focusing on foreign investment in African agricultural land and water resources. It examines the phenomenon of 'land grabbing,' its legal implications, and the role of parliamentarians in ensuring that such investments benefit local populations and align with sustainable development goals.

The June 2011 PSC Report by the Institute for Security Studies provides early warning analysis on security crises in South Sudan, Uganda, and Madagascar, alongside a retrospective on African border disputes and an examination of drug trafficking in West Africa.

This research paper examines the political crisis in Côte d’Ivoire through the lens of 'warlordism,' a phenomenon previously seen in Liberia and Sierra Leone. The author argues that the characteristics of violent political entrepreneurs—including the use of mystical discourse, the exploitation of communal grievances, and the use of illicit international networks—are emerging within Côte d’Ivoire, specifically noting the behavior of militia leaders and President Laurent Gbagbo.

This policy briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the African Union's (AU) principle of rejecting unconstitutional changes of government. It analyzes the 'democrat's dilemma'—the tension between maintaining constitutional order and supporting popular uprisings against authoritarian regimes—specifically in the context of the 2011 Maghreb revolutions.

This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies discusses the status of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction (BTWC) in Africa during the Seventh Review Conference in December 2011. It advocates for the universalisation of the treaty across the continent, the strengthening of the BTWC's Implementation Support Unit (ISU), and the alignment of the convention with Africa's specific developmental and public health needs.

The Peace and Security Council Protocol No. 17, published by the Institute for Security Studies in December 2010, provides an analysis of security issues in West Africa, specifically focusing on political instability and elections in Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, and Guinea. It also reviews the operational progress of the African Standby Force (ASF) through Exercise AMANI Africa, the implementation of the Pelindaba Treaty for a nuclear-weapon-free Africa, and continental and regional strategies to combat drug trafficking.