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The April 2022 Peace & Security Council Report examines the security crisis in Burkina Faso, the implementation of the African Union's (AU) youth, peace and security agenda, the appointment of the fifth Panel of the Wise, and Senegal's priorities as AU chair.

This February 2022 report from the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the composition and challenges of the newly elected African Union Peace and Security Council (PSC), the outcomes of the February 2022 AU Summit regarding governance and conflict prevention, and the ongoing debate over equitable regional representation within the Council. It also examines the tensions between the African Union and the European Union regarding the green energy transition and critiques the application of the principle of subsidiarity in the relationship between the AU and Regional Economic Communities (RECs).

This policy brief examines the evolution, effectiveness, and challenges of science-policy interfaces (SPIs) in global environmental governance since 1972. It analyzes existing models like the IPCC and IPBES, evaluates proposals for new SPIs focused on chemicals, waste, and food systems, and provides a three-pronged design framework to ensure future interfaces are credible, inclusive, and policy-relevant.

This fact sheet, based on the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report, details the observed and projected impacts of climate change in West Africa. It highlights significant increases in temperature, extreme weather events, and sea-level rise, which threaten human health, food security, biodiversity, and economic stability. The document emphasizes the region's high vulnerability despite its low contribution to global emissions and calls for transformative adaptation and increased financial and research investment.

This factsheet summarizes the IPCC's Sixth Assessment Report for West Africa, detailing how the region is warming faster than the global average. It highlights severe risks to food security, human health (specifically heat-related mortality and diarrhoeal diseases), and biodiversity. The report emphasizes that while adaptation options like ecosystem-based solutions exist, they are severely hindered by a lack of finance and critical data gaps in climate research.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the challenges and opportunities for African nations in global climate change negotiations leading up to COP 27. It examines the structural weaknesses in African diplomacy, the complexities of balancing diverse national interests, and the influence of developed nations on climate policy and trade.

This policy brief evaluates the first cohort of African Youth Ambassadors for Peace (AYAPs), who served a two-year tenure ending in February 2022. It examines their role in mainstreaming youth into the African Union's (AU) peace and security agenda, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their activities, and provides recommendations for future cohorts to sustain and upscale youth participation in peacebuilding.

This report examines the critical role of sustainable cooling and cold chains in reducing global food loss, improving nutrition, and supporting agricultural economies, particularly in low-income and high-impact countries.

An open letter from the Global Resilience Partnership (GRP) to its partners detailing joint accomplishments in 2021, focusing on scaling resilience innovations, promoting shared learning, and convening diverse voices to influence global policy and investment.

This research paper examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on food security across Africa, highlighting how economic shocks and trade disruptions exacerbated hunger. It analyzes the varying vulnerability of different income groups and regions, the role of protectionist policies, and the potential for the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) to build long-term resilience by increasing intra-continental food trade.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) provides guidance and lessons for Southern African Development Community (SADC) member states on enhancing their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). It emphasizes the need for inclusive stakeholder engagement, alignment with long-term development goals, and the use of quantifiable targets and evidence-based analysis to increase climate ambition and ensure effective implementation.

The 2021 AU Peace and Security Council (PSC) report notes a positive shift toward addressing climate-induced insecurity but criticizes the council for ignoring governance deficits as root causes of conflict. The report highlights the PSC's response to military coups in Mali, Guinea, and Sudan, while noting a controversial endorsement of a military transition in Chad. Looking toward 2022, it warns of potential electoral violence in Kenya, Angola, and Senegal, and identifies several conflict hotbeds, including Ethiopia and Libya. It also emphasizes the ongoing threat of violent extremism in the Sahel, Lake Chad Basin, and Mozambique, while noting the AU's struggle with member state funding and the need for strategic autonomy.

This policy brief examines the development and implementation of the Minamata Convention on Mercury, a legally binding global treaty designed to protect human health and the environment from mercury emissions and releases. It details the transition from regional marine protections to a comprehensive global framework, the specific challenges posed by artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM), and the reasons why mercury was addressed separately from other toxic heavy metals like lead and cadmium.

This policy brief by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the challenges that 'fiscal stabilization clauses' pose to the implementation of the OECD's Second Pillar global minimum tax. It argues that these clauses, common in developing economies, may prevent governments from raising corporate taxes to the 15% minimum without risking international litigation, and provides recommendations for the OECD's model legislation to mitigate these risks.

This policy brief by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the conflict between the OECD's Pillar Two global minimum tax and 'tax stabilization' clauses often found in the national laws and investment agreements of developing countries. The document argues that these clauses, which freeze tax rates for investors, could prevent developing nations from implementing the 15% minimum tax and risk triggering international arbitration. It provides specific recommendations for the OECD's model legislation to ensure that the global minimum tax overrides such stabilization agreements.

The Subnational Climate Fund (SnCF) is a financial instrument designed to overcome barriers to private capital mobilization for climate-resilient infrastructure at the subnational level, combining a Technical Assistance Facility with a private equity fund.

This case study describes the African Risk Capacity (ARC), a sovereign risk pool and early response mechanism that provides drought insurance to African Union member states to protect food security for vulnerable populations.

The Agriculture and Climate Risk Enterprise (ACRE) is a mobile-enabled index insurance program in Africa that links smallholder farmers to insurance through the purchase of agricultural inputs. The program utilizes solar-powered weather stations and mobile money platforms to trigger immediate compensation for yield losses caused by drought, excess rain, and storms.

The ARM-Harith Cities & Climate Transition Fund (The ACT Fund) is a mid-market greenfield infrastructure fund designed to expand sustainable infrastructure in West Africa. It utilizes a blended-currency mechanism to reduce financing friction at early project stages and mobilize local institutional investment through structured exit solutions.

The September 2021 Peace & Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies examines critical stability challenges across Africa, focusing on the appointment of a high representative for the Horn of Africa, the diplomatic rift between Algeria and Morocco, the prevalence of enforced disappearances, security sector reform failures in South Sudan, and Sudan's decision to surrender Omar al-Bashir to the International Criminal Court.