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This policy brief by the African Forum and Network on Debt and Development examines resource-backed loans (RBLs) and the collateralisation of mineral resources in African countries. It explores how these financial mechanisms can unlock infrastructure funding for resource-rich but capital-poor nations, while warning of significant risks including debt sustainability crises, lack of transparency, and the erosion of competitive public procurement processes.

This report by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and Greenpeace analyzes the tensions between international trade rules, primarily those of the World Trade Organization (WTO), and the conservation of global fisheries. It argues that current trade interpretations often hinder sustainable fisheries management by prohibiting regulations based on production and processing methods (PPMs). The authors propose a framework to integrate the precautionary approach into trade law, eliminate destructive subsidies, and ensure that investment liberalization does not undermine the ability of states to protect marine resources and traditional fishing communities.

This report by the Climate Bonds Initiative and Transition Asia examines the financing of decarbonisation in China's steel sector, focusing on the impact of transition finance pilots and market trends following the introduction of the Hebei Province Transition Finance Guidelines for the Iron and Steel Industry (2023-2024 Edition).

This briefing by the International Institute for Sustainable Development analyzes the agricultural negotiation priorities for the 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13) of the World Trade Organization (WTO). It emphasizes that while food security is a central goal, success depends on moving beyond non-binding declarations toward binding commitments, particularly regarding export restrictions for Least Developed Countries (LDCs), domestic support, and public stockholding.

This briefing analyzes the agricultural negotiations for the 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13) of the World Trade Organization (WTO), focusing on food security, domestic support, and the specific needs of Least Developed Countries (LDCs). It argues that success depends on moving beyond non-binding declarations toward binding commitments to regulate food and agricultural trade.

This briefing discusses the implications of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation's decision not to award the Mo Ibrahim Prize for good governance in Africa for a specific year, examining the prize's criteria and its role in promoting democratisation on the continent.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies examines the African Union's (AU) strategy to increase troop levels for the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) following suicide bombings in Uganda in July 2010.

Peace and Security Council Report No 26 provides analysis on political instability and security challenges in Libya, Egypt, Guinea, and Malawi, alongside a retrospective on the African Union's response to drought in the Horn of Africa.

This policy brief outlines the political transition in Guinea following the 2010 presidential elections and identifies five priority areas for the new president, Alpha Condé, to address systemic economic decay, insecurity, and ethno-political tensions.

This research paper examines the drivers of conflict and the peacekeeping efforts in the Mano River Basin, highlighting the roles of displaced populations, illicit trade, and international security concerns.

This report, prepared by the Chairperson of the African Union Commission for a special session in Tripoli, provides a comprehensive overview of the challenges to peace and security in Africa. It details the institutional framework of the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA), the economic and human costs of conflict, and the status of various regional crises, including those in Somalia, Sudan, and the Great Lakes region. The document emphasizes the need for African ownership of peace efforts, the importance of structural conflict prevention, and the strengthening of partnerships with international bodies like the UN and EU.

This report documents a seminar held on 18 March 2009 by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) in Pretoria, focusing on the African Union's (AU) policy regarding unconstitutional changes of government (UCG) in Africa. The seminar, featuring presenters Issaka K. Souaré and Francis Ikome, evaluated the effectiveness of the Lomé Declaration and the AU's Constitutive Act in deterring military coups and other unconstitutional power shifts, while proposing reforms to create a 'New African Governance Architecture' (NAGA).

This case study by Richard Cornwell examines the limitations of Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) processes in West Africa and the Great Lakes region. The author argues that technical DDR successes are often illusory if they are not preceded by planning for reintegration and a fundamental shift from a 'conflict economy' to a 'peace economy'.

This document consists of Annex VI and three Protocols of an agreement between the European Community and ACP (African, Caribbean, and Pacific) States. It defines the lists of least-developed, landlocked, and island ACP States, establishes rules for the operating expenditure and privileges of joint institutions, and outlines the qualified status of South Africa's participation in the agreement.

This situation report by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the progress and challenges of post-conflict reconstruction in Liberia as of July 2008. It examines the legacies of 15 years of warfare, the restoration of state authority under President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, security sector reform, economic recovery efforts, and the role of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

This report evaluates the transition from peacekeeping to peace-building in Sierra Leone following the May 2002 national elections. It details the success of the disarmament and demobilisation (DD) process, the challenges of reintegrating over 70,000 ex-combatants, and the restructuring of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) and the Sierra Leone Police (SLP). The document also examines the role of the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) in providing security and public information, the efforts to extend state authority to the interior, the management of the diamond industry, and the implementation of transitional justice through the Special Court and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

This research paper examines the relationship between the extraction of precious stones—specifically diamonds, coltan, and gold—and the perpetuation of armed conflicts in Southern Africa, with a focus on Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It analyzes how these resources fund rebel movements and governments, the challenges law enforcement faces in policing illicit trade, and proposes regulatory reforms to decouple resource wealth from conflict.

The October 2023 Peace and Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the systemic weaknesses of the African Union (AU), the escalating conflict in Ethiopia's Amhara region, the challenges facing the AU Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), and the broader implications of withdrawing peacekeepers from African conflicts. It also discusses the AU's new membership in the G20.

This October 2015 report from the Institute for Security Studies examines the relationship between the African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN), focusing on peacekeeping funding, counter-terrorism efforts, and specific crises in South Sudan, Mali, and Somalia. It also analyzes the risks associated with a series of upcoming elections across the African continent.

This 2002 situation report by the Institute for Security Studies provides a detailed overview of refugee and internally displaced person (IDP) populations across Africa. It defines the legal distinctions between refugees and IDPs, provides statistical data on populations of concern to the UNHCR as of 2000/2001, and analyzes regional trends in displacement driven by conflict, drought, and economic decline.