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The document examines the impact of COVID-19 on agricultural value chains within the SADC region, noting that while the sector was less affected than others, the pandemic intensified existing vulnerabilities. Key challenges identified include a heavy reliance on subsistence farming, food insecurity, and the effects of climate change. The authors argue for a 'dual approach' that supports both small-scale and large-scale commercial farming, the adoption of climate-smart technologies, and the digitalisation of value chains. The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is highlighted as a critical mechanism for enhancing regional trade and protecting small-scale farmers.

SADC member states generally struggle to meet the 2001 Abuja Declaration pledge to allocate 15% of national budgets to healthcare, with an average annual allocation of 5.3%. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted critical gaps in healthcare infrastructure, drug supplies, and professional staffing, while simultaneously straining regional economies. To bridge funding gaps amidst declining GDP and high external debt, the paper recommends establishing a SADC regional healthcare fund backed by the African Union, forming public-private partnerships, improving domestic tax compliance, and involving civil society organisations to ensure transparency in health financing.

The document examines the New Development Bank's (NDB) approach to information disclosure and grievance redressal for infrastructure projects in the global South, with a focus on South Africa. It highlights a systemic lack of public access to critical project documentation, including risk assessments, management plans, and the Country Partnership Plan. While the NDB's Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) delegates implementation and grievance redressal to clients, the document argues that this creates gaps in accountability and transparency.

The New Development Bank (NDB) emphasizes the use of 'country systems' for project implementation, which shifts the primary responsibility for environmental and social assessments, consultations, and grievance mechanisms to the client. However, the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) finds that critical project documentation—including risk assessments, management plans, and Country Partnership Plans (CPP)—is not publicly available. While the NDB has its own Information Disclosure Policy (IDP), there is ambiguity regarding its susceptibility to South Africa's Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA), as the NDB's Africa Regional Center has indicated it is not subject to such legislation. The report highlights a lack of transparency in the NDB's decision-making processes and recommends that all project and policy information be made accessible via the NDB website to ensure accountability.

The document examines how the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of e-governance tools, specifically social media and smartphones, to maintain public service delivery. It highlights South Africa's use of WhatsApp chatbots and the 'COVID Alert SA' contact tracing app as innovative examples, while noting that the 'digital divide' and concerns over surveillance and fake news remain significant barriers to digital governance across Africa.

The document examines the failure of most SADC member states to adhere to the Abuja Declaration's pledge to allocate 15% of annual budgets to health, noting that by the end of 2018, all member states were struggling to meet this target. It identifies aid dependency and economic decline as primary barriers, while arguing that the COVID-19 pandemic serves as a critical catalyst for overhauling underfunded systems. To bridge funding gaps, the author recommends establishing a SADC regional healthcare fund backed by the African Union, forming public-private partnerships, improving domestic tax compliance, and involving civil society organisations to ensure transparency.

The document examines South Africa's strategy to mobilize R1 trillion in private investment through an Infrastructure Fund to address a widening infrastructure deficit. It analyzes three primary de-risking instruments: blended finance, the conversion of infrastructure into tradeable asset classes, and public-private partnerships (PPPs). The author argues that these mechanisms often shift excessive risk to the state through contingent liabilities and high transaction costs, while prioritizing 'bankable' economic projects over essential social infrastructure in poor and rural areas. The paper concludes that the current focus on private capital overplays benefits and underplays the risks of public-private arrangements, recommending a governance framework that prioritizes human rights and sustainable development over profit maximization.

The Global Resilience Partnership (GRP), in collaboration with the UNDP and GEF, is seeking Expressions of Interest from organizations managing innovative finance mechanisms in fragile and conflict-prone regions. The initiative aims to support private sector solutions that address the 'triple threat' of COVID-19, climate change-induced extreme weather, and geopolitical instability. Selected organizations will receive grants, technical assistance from a multidisciplinary mentoring facility, and networking opportunities to improve the scale and effectiveness of their funds. Eligible mechanisms must be based in specific Least Developed Countries (LDCs), demonstrate a sustainable revenue model, and focus on the intersection of climate adaptation, food and water security, and disaster risk reduction.

The report argues that electric vehicles (EVs) can serve as enablers for a new energy paradigm in Southern Africa, shifting the region away from coal and oil dependency. It proposes a 'Southern African Green New Deal' and identifies five systemic innovations: transforming automakers into energy companies, implementing EV-enabled demand-side response services, transitioning consumers to 'prosumers' via peer-to-peer trading, deploying localized distributed energy resource (DER) networks using blockchain, and reskilling the workforce for green jobs. The analysis emphasizes that while South Africa's current grid is coal-heavy, EVs still offer lifecycle GHG reductions and can accelerate the decarbonization of power generation.

The document outlines a readiness project implemented by the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) to support 13 accredited and applicant Direct Access Entities (DAEs) within the International Development Finance Club (IDFC). The project aims to remove barriers to GCF accreditation and funding by providing technical assistance for fiduciary, environmental, social, and gender policies, and by developing climate finance tools for risk and impact assessment. Key deliverables include an IDFC-GCF Toolkit, a joint DAE-IDFC Work Program, and the development of multi-country concept notes focusing on climate-resilient recovery post-COVID-19, specifically targeting MSMEs and vulnerable populations in sectors like renewable energy and sustainable land use.

A case study on the Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR) project in Talensi, Ghana, detailing how a low-cost land restoration technique has improved soil fertility, increased crop yields, and enhanced the climate resilience of over 10,000 smallholder farmers.

South Africa demonstrated strong leadership as AU chair by coordinating a continental response to COVID-19, including the establishment of regional task forces and a medical supplies platform. However, this soft power is undermined by persistent institutionalised xenophobia and a 'South Africans first' political discourse that marginalises African migrants. The author argues that domestic treatment of African nationals is a critical indicator of South Africa's leadership potential and warns that economic instability and corruption further exacerbate these internal cleavages.

The report examines the complex dynamics of migration in Southern Africa, highlighting the region's reliance on labour migration and the dominance of South Africa as a destination. It identifies a gap between aspirational regional integration goals and the reality of non-binding agreements and national protectionism. Key issues include the precarious nature of low-skilled work, the 'brain drain' of professionals, and the lack of social security portability for migrant workers.

The document examines the challenges of Africa's transition to renewable energy, highlighting a significant skills gap and the persistent under-representation of women in energy value chains. It argues that while gender-mainstreaming policies exist, they often lack the monitoring, evaluation, and comprehensive support systems—such as financial and technical assistance—necessary to create tangible change. The briefing specifically calls for the AU-EU strategic partnership to better integrate gender dimensions into its green transition and energy access pillars, particularly for youth and those in fossil-fuel-dependent economies to ensure a just transition.

The South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) conducted a Zoom workshop on 31 August 2020 to engage youth advocates and organisations in the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) process. The session aimed to empower civil society to develop a written submission identifying up to twelve pressing issues facing South African youth, treating youth participation as a cross-cutting governance issue. The workshop highlighted the socio-economic challenges facing South African youth, including a 54% unemployment rate among youth in 2018, and established a follow-up training seminar for 22 September 2020 to detail the drafting process.

The document outlines the legal framework provided by UNCLOS for landlocked states to secure access to the sea and exploit living resources in the exclusive economic zones (EEZ) of coastal states. It emphasizes that while UNCLOS establishes general rights, the practical implementation depends on negotiated agreements between landlocked and transit states. The brief highlights the importance of mutual benefit, citing the Ethiopia-Djibouti agreement and the Walvis Bay Corridor Group as successful models of cooperation in Africa.

The project aims to protect 22 surface Strategic Water Source Areas (SWSAs) that supply 50% of the region's water. It proposes a $20 million investment ($10 million from GCF) to implement climate-responsive mapping, strengthen regulatory frameworks, rehabilitate catchments upstream of water infrastructure, and develop natural capital accounts. The initiative targets 5.8 million direct beneficiaries and seeks to mitigate risks from increasing droughts, rainfall variability, and invasive alien plants.

The document examines the state of regional integration in Africa and Southern Africa, specifically within the Southern African Development Community (SADC), in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. It identifies significant gaps in infrastructure and productive integration, noting that while South Africa is the continent's most integrated country, the region as a whole struggles with poverty, unemployment, and poor governance. The author proposes seven dynamic opportunities for recovery: reshaping manufacturing for self-reliance, sustaining pan-African cooperation, closing the digital skills gap, addressing and financing infrastructure deficiencies, establishing infrastructure management systems, and enhancing integrated decision-making through potential supranational organisation. The paper concludes that South Africa must lead these efforts to reclaim regional agency and advance the African Union's Agenda 2063.

The document maps local procurement regulations in the SADC region, distinguishing between demand-side policies (encouraging companies to buy locally) and supply-side interventions (supporting local supplier capacity). It finds that while most SADC countries have some form of local procurement requirement, the level of detail varies significantly, with the DRC, Namibia, South Africa, and Tanzania employing specific targets and plans, while others rely on vague 'best effort obligations'.

The document outlines the legal framework provided by UNCLOS for landlocked states to access the sea through transit states. It emphasizes that while UNCLOS grants general rights of transit and access to living resources in Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs), the practical implementation depends on negotiated agreements. The brief provides recommendations for African policymakers to ensure these agreements are mutually beneficial, citing the Djibouti–Addis Ababa transport corridor and the Walvis Bay Corridor Group as successful examples of such cooperation.