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The document analyzes the institutionalization of 'Xi Jinping Thought' and its impact on China-Africa relations, highlighting five trends: the centrality of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), support for UN reform, an expanded global military role, and stricter internet governance. It warns that while China offers development alternatives to the West, these trends may increase debt burdens, promote illiberal internet regimes, and increase the militarization of the continent.

The report assesses the global landscape of Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) for air conditioners and refrigerators, building energy efficiency codes, and urban heat mitigation. It highlights significant gaps in policy adoption and enforcement in Africa and other emerging markets, while noting that aligning standards with Best Available Technologies (BAT) could improve appliance energy performance by 50% to 65%.

The report outlines a multi-pronged approach to building cooling, emphasizing the transition from active air conditioning to passive design and high-efficiency technology. It details various technical solutions—ranging from 'super-efficient' AC units and passive cooling techniques to wearable devices and the use of waste cold from LNG terminals. The document also analyzes policy levers such as Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) and behavior change campaigns like Japan's 'Cool Biz'. Finally, it explores innovative business models to improve affordability for the poor, including Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG), ESCO models, and public-private partnerships in countries like India, Mexico, and Bangladesh.

The report examines a variety of low-cost and sustainable cooling technologies, such as evaporative coolers and solar refrigeration, to reduce food loss and improve vaccine delivery in energy-poor regions. It argues that while technical solutions are abundant, the primary barriers to scaling are the enabling environment, including financing, policy alignment, and tailored business models for low-income consumers. The document also highlights the potential of using waste cold from LNG terminals and liquid nitrogen to decarbonize refrigerated transport, particularly in India and China.

The document describes Thailand's top-down approach to developing a bioeconomy focused on adding value to existing commodities like sugarcane and cassava. It highlights a model where the private sector drives innovation while the government facilitates through tax incentives, R&D funding, and regulatory easing. However, the authors note significant challenges regarding social equity, as the system prioritizes large industrial players over smallholder farmers.

The document analyzes the difficulties in establishing the Global Compact for Migration (GCM) compared to the Global Compact on Refugees, citing domestic political pressures, populism, and a lack of UN leadership. It highlights the unequal nature of migration negotiations between the African Union and the European Union, where the EU prioritizes border control while African nations focus on development. The author critiques the GCM's zero draft as a non-binding 'wish list' that lacks accountability mechanisms, though it notes the potential of its proposed capacity-building mechanism to support African regional migration goals.

As of 31 January 2018, the Green Climate Fund (GCF) had accredited 59 entities, with a pipeline of 198 entities having created accounts on the Online Accreditation System. The report highlights a strategic shift toward prioritizing direct access entities, which now constitute a larger share of those completing the accreditation process. It also details the ongoing support provided to direct access entities through readiness programs and gap assessments, and tracks the progress of accredited entities in fulfilling specific fiduciary, environmental, social, and gender conditions. Additionally, the document notes a temporary lack of quorum in the Accreditation Panel (AP), which delayed new accreditation recommendations for the nineteenth Board meeting.

The IEU review finds that while the GCF's Results Management Framework (RMF) helps stakeholders focus on adaptation and mitigation, it suffers from critical flaws in its logic models, a lack of measurement protocols for indicators, and insufficient integration with national monitoring systems. A portfolio analysis of 74 approved projects revealed that 39% are missing at least one impact indicator for their targeted result areas, and 50% have no plans for baseline data collection. The review recommends that the GCF Secretariat develop theories of change for key thematic areas, establish clear measurement protocols, and better define the role of National Designated Authorities (NDAs) throughout the project cycle.

The report examines the 2018 African Union Peace and Security Council elections, noting a shift toward regional consensus and a decline in the average governance and democracy scores of member states. It details institutional reform struggles led by President Paul Kagame, specifically the contested transformation of Nepad into a development agency. Additionally, it analyzes the need for sanctions in South Sudan, the political deadlock in Togo, and the challenges of state absence in the Central African Republic.

The document outlines the critical role of monitoring and evaluation (M&E) in the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process, emphasizing that there is no "one-size-fits-all" approach. It identifies key opportunities, such as strengthening accountability and fostering cross-sectoral partnerships, alongside significant challenges including the lack of common metrics for success and inadequate technical capacity. To address these, the briefing proposes emerging solutions focused on stakeholder alignment, resource strengthening, and improving data quality, such as using sex-disaggregated data and leveraging Information and Communication Technologies for data collection.

The document outlines the critical role of monitoring and evaluation (M&E) in the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process, emphasizing that there is no "one-size-fits-all" approach. It identifies key challenges such as the lack of common metrics for success, data gaps, and inadequate technical capacity. To address these, the report suggests emerging solutions focused on stakeholder coordination, resource strengthening—including the use of international funding like the Green Climate Fund's Readiness Programme—and improving data quality through gender-sensitive indicators and ICT tools. Case examples from South Africa, Morocco, and Kenya demonstrate the importance of aligning M&E with existing national structures and international commitments like the SDGs and NDCs.

The document outlines the critical role of monitoring and evaluation (M&E) in the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process, emphasizing that there is no one-size-fits-all approach. It identifies key challenges such as the lack of common measurement criteria, resource constraints, and the complexity of gender integration. To address these, the briefing proposes emerging solutions focused on stakeholder coordination, resource strengthening, and improving data quality, while highlighting country-specific examples from South Africa, Morocco, and Kenya.

The document outlines the critical role of monitoring and evaluation (M&E) in the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process, emphasizing that there is no single formula for its implementation. It identifies key opportunities, such as improving resource efficiency and cross-sectoral partnerships, alongside challenges like the lack of common metrics for adaptation success and inadequate technical capacity. The text proposes emerging solutions focused on stakeholder alignment, resource strengthening, and improving data quality, including the use of gender-disaggregated data and information communication technologies.

The research examines the fragmented nature of migration regulation across three African regional economic communities (RECs)—SADC, EAC, and Comesa—and their integration into the Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA). While the EAC has made significant progress in ratifying and implementing protocols for the free movement of labour and persons, SADC and Comesa suffer from low ratification rates and a tendency to treat economic migration as a national security threat. The document highlights that the TFTA, which covers 26 states with a combined GDP of $1.2 trillion, requires the removal of migration barriers to achieve its market integration goals. Case studies of Tanzania and Rwanda illustrate the tension between regional liberalisation and domestic protectionism, as well as the benefits of an economically driven migration policy. The authors argue that for the TFTA to succeed, RECs must move beyond a security-centric approach and link migration policies to economic imperatives.

The document describes the establishment of County Climate Change Funds (CCCFs) in five Kenyan counties—Garissa, Isiolo, Kitui, Makueni, and Waji—to manage investments aimed at reducing climate risk and achieving adaptation priorities. It notes that developing countries need significant financing for National Adaptation Plan (NAP) processes, which should be sourced from domestic public, international public, and private finance.

The proposed programme seeks USD 9,960,000 from the Green Climate Fund to scale up a Decentralised Climate Finance (DCF) model in Mali's Mopti region. It aims to benefit 720,000 people by establishing Local Adaptation Planning Committees (LAPCs) that identify and manage community-led investments. The funding is divided into three main investment windows: climate-resilient agriculture (50% of grants), livestock-based economies (10%), and drinking water for marginalised women (24%), with the remaining 14% dedicated to programme management and technical assistance.

The report identifies Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and East Asia as high-impact regions for clean energy investment, with a subset of eight countries offering over USD 360bn in potential by 2030. It argues that while clean energy costs are falling, private investment is hindered by off-taker, currency, and policy risks. The authors recommend shifting blended finance from covering viability gaps to providing risk-mitigation instruments like guarantees and local currency hedging, and creating liquid, tradable assets through securitization to attract institutional investors.

The document outlines a methodology for identifying high-impact clean energy markets in developing economies based on private sector attractiveness, energy access, and climate relevance. It identifies Tier 1 countries—including India, South Africa, Kenya, and Rwanda—and analyzes their specific investment barriers, such as off-taker risk in India and currency volatility in South Africa. Additionally, it provides case studies on blended finance structures, ranging from project-level interventions like the Lake Turkana Wind Farm to fund-of-funds like GEEREF, illustrating how concessional capital and guarantees are used to leverage private investment.

The paper examines the decline of internet freedoms in Africa, noting that at least 10 states shut down internet access or social media in 2016 to curtail political mobilisation. While technology can improve government transparency and service delivery—as seen in Kenya's e-government initiatives—it is also used for surveillance and censorship. The author argues for a balanced regulatory approach that addresses cybercrime, which is growing rapidly in Africa, without infringing on civil liberties. The document highlights a lack of binding continental or regional frameworks, noting that most existing instruments are non-binding templates.

The African Borrowing Charter provides a framework for African states to balance public debt with the need for inclusive growth and public service delivery. It emphasizes transparency, parliamentary oversight, and the establishment of robust legal frameworks to prevent a recurrence of the debt crises seen in the 1970s-1990s. The Charter advocates for the creation of Public Debt Management Offices and the enactment of Fiscal Responsibility Acts to maintain macroeconomic stability and protect future generations from unsustainable debt burdens.