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This report summarizes a conference held on May 31, 2011, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, organized by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS). The event brought together experts, diplomats, and academics to analyze the causes and implications of the 2011 popular revolutions in North Africa, specifically in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya, while also examining the situations in Algeria and Morocco and the potential for similar unrest in Sub-Saharan Africa.

This workshop report, published by the Institute for Security Studies in 2011, documents a gathering in Johannesburg focused on the advances, challenges, and prospects of policing oversight in Africa. It examines the necessity of accountability to protect human rights, analyzes regional frameworks such as SADC and the East African Community, and provides case studies from South Africa, Kenya, and Nigeria. The report outlines a plan of action to strengthen oversight through education, networking, and legislative reform.

This workshop report, compiled by Eric Scheye for the Institute for Security Studies, details discussions held in March 2011 regarding the promotion of the rule of law (RoL) in Africa. The document critiques traditional donor-led 'institutional capacity development' models, arguing that RoL is primarily a political rather than technical challenge. It advocates for a shift toward service-delivery and problem-solving approaches that recognize legal pluralism, the role of non-state justice providers, and the specific needs of marginalized groups, particularly women.

This research paper argues that South Africa's foreign policy under the Zuma administration has become rudderless, characterized by a lack of strategic clarity and a managerial vacuum that risks eroding international goodwill and the country's status as a reliable developmental partner.

This research paper examines the African Union's (AU) challenge in addressing unconstitutional changes of government, specifically focusing on the tension between condemning incumbent leaders who manipulate constitutions to stay in power and condemning military coups that overthrow such leaders, using the situation in Niger as a primary case study.

This 2010 position paper by the Institute for Security Studies examines the legal and political tensions between the African Union (AU), the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), and the International Criminal Court (ICC), specifically regarding the use of Article 16 of the Rome Statute to defer prosecutions of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir.

This report summarizes a seminar held on October 28, 2009, in Addis Ababa, which discussed the development and enhancement of the African Union (AU) sanctions regime. The seminar focused on leveraging United Nations (UN) experience to build a robust AU framework, including the role of the AU's Sanctions Committee and the necessity of combining sanctions with diplomacy and monitoring mechanisms.

This research paper examines the role of human rights in African international relations, arguing that while there is a robust framework of regional and international treaties, human rights often remain a "variable concern" subordinated to national interests and geopolitical strategies. The author analyzes the tension between international monitoring mechanisms and the pursuit of "African solutions to African problems," specifically highlighting the controversy surrounding the ICC arrest warrant for Omar Al-Bashir and the influence of China's non-interference policy on the continent.

This research paper by Mireille Affa’a Mindzie, published by the South African Institute of International Affairs in August 2009, examines the role of human rights in African international relations. It analyzes the tension between the formal commitment to international human rights standards and the practical application of these standards in bilateral and multilateral diplomacy, where national interests and the pursuit of 'African solutions to African problems' often take precedence.

This situation report by the Institute for Security Studies assesses the political crisis in Chad, analyzing the failure of previous intervention efforts and the interests of domestic and international actors. It argues that while the international community often views the conflict as a spillover from the Darfur crisis, the root causes are internal governance failures and power struggles over state resources, particularly oil. The report evaluates several peace agreements and UN/EU missions, concluding that a lack of political will and coordinated implementation has hindered a sustainable resolution.

This research paper by Steven Gruzd of the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) evaluates the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), examining its institutional origins, its relationship with the African Union (AU) and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (Nepad), and its achievements in promoting good governance across Africa.

This research paper by Steven Gruzd evaluates the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), analyzing its origins within the African Union (AU) and the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), its institutional challenges, and its impact on governance across the African continent as of April 2009.

This research paper examines the implementation and challenges of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) across the African continent. It argues that international control mechanisms fail to prioritize specific African concerns, such as the prevention of disease outbreaks, and that African states often lack the resources and political priority to implement necessary national legislation.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies assesses the progress and challenges of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) during its first term (2004–2009). The author argues that the PAP is an institutionally weak body due to its premature establishment, which bypassed the gradual integration stages outlined in the 1991 Abuja Treaty. Consequently, the PAP lacks legislative, budgetary, and supervisory powers, operating only as a consultative and advisory body with limited influence over the African Union (AU) executive.

This research paper examines the legal possibilities and political obstacles to putting Robert Mugabe on trial, analyzing the roles of universal jurisdiction and the International Criminal Court (ICC).

This research paper argues that the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) must transition from a consultative body that endorses executive decisions to an active oversight institution to improve governance and accountability across Africa.

This briefing analyzes the stability of Robert Mugabe's regime in Zimbabwe, evaluating it against four theoretical indicators of tyrannical collapse: fissures in the ruling oligarchy, state crisis, external threats, and internal opposition.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies provides an update on the operationalisation of the African Standby Force (ASF), a multidisciplinary force designed for rapid deployment in peace support operations across Africa. While the AU has made progress in developing doctrine, training policies, and standard operating procedures, the document highlights significant hurdles in logistics, AU-level leadership capacity, and sustainable financing.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies provides a progress update on the establishment of the African Standby Force (ASF), a multidisciplinary force designed to enable the African Union (AU) to respond to conflicts through peace support missions and interventions.

This briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs assesses South Africa's foreign policy, economic relations, and security role within Africa since 1994. It highlights the transition from the 'principled' approach of the Mandela era to the 'pragmatic' African Renaissance agenda under Thabo Mbeki, while noting the tensions between South Africa's regional economic dominance and its desire to avoid being perceived as a 'big brother'.