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This special edition of the Peace & Security Council Report focuses on the 2025 African Union (AU) senior leadership election process, detailing the procedural rules, the candidates for the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson positions, and the institutional challenges facing the incoming leadership.

This policy brief examines the foreign and development relations between Africa, the European Union (EU), and Germany, arguing that these relationships are still characterized by 'coloniality'—the persistence of unequal power dynamics and colonial logic. The author analyzes how EU and German policies in security, raw material acquisition, and development aid often marginalize African agency, prioritize European economic interests, and employ 'saviourism' through top-down interventions. The document provides specific case studies from Mauritania, Mali, South Sudan, Namibia, and Zambia to illustrate these dynamics and concludes with recommendations for genuine decolonization, including respecting African demands on trade and resource beneficiation.

Friends of the Earth International issued a statement of solidarity with the people of Mozambique and the organization Justica Ambiental, condemning state violence and electoral fraud following the October 9 elections. The organization calls for an end to police repression, accountability for killings, and a shift away from neoliberal economic policies that have exacerbated poverty and inequality.

Friends of the Earth International denounces the violent state repression of protests in Mozambique following fraudulent elections on October 9. The organization reports at least 34 deaths, the use of live ammunition by security forces, and the killing of opposition leaders. It attributes the underlying social instability to neoliberal policies imposed by the IMF and the exploitation of natural resources by transnational companies, which have left 73% of the population in poverty. The statement calls for an end to violence, electoral justice, and a transition to a more equitable socioeconomic model.

Friends of the Earth International issued a statement of solidarity with the people of Mozambique, condemning state violence and electoral fraud following the October 9 elections. The organization calls for an end to repression, the restoration of democratic rights, and a shift away from neoliberal economic policies that exacerbate poverty and inequality.

This briefing examines the implementation of Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanisms (CBAMs), focusing on the European Union's pioneering system and its global repercussions. It analyzes the limited impact of CBAMs on overall emissions reductions compared to domestic carbon pricing, the significant economic risks posed to developing nations, and the resulting fragmented landscape of international trade and climate policy.

This report analyzes the legal and institutional frameworks for protecting traditional knowledge (TK) in Mozambique, focusing on biodiversity, cultural heritage, and traditional medicine. It identifies a significant gap in functional regulatory frameworks specifically for TK associated with biological resources, though it highlights ongoing efforts to review access and benefit-sharing (ABS) regulations and develop a national TK database.

This research paper examines the governance and security challenges in Mozambique's Cabo Delgado province, specifically analyzing the impact of the withdrawal of the Southern African Development Community Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM) in July 2024. The author argues that the mission's exit, driven by financial constraints and poor coordination, may have created a security void during a period of increasing insurgent activity.

A fact sheet detailing the Maputo Floating Thermoelectric Power Plant Project by Karpower in Mozambique, including its technical specifications, partnership with Electricidade de Moçambique, and planned infrastructure.

This research paper analyzes the current state of industrial relations between Germany and African nations, arguing that German perspectives are skewed by a paternalistic approach and a failure to recognize the continent's economic diversity. The authors suggest that Germany should shift from a charity-based development model to one focused on trade, investment, and peer-to-peer partnerships to unlock opportunities in sectors like green hydrogen and manufacturing.

This policy brief examines China's dominant role in Africa's critical minerals sector, highlighting the tension between increased investment and the lack of local value addition. It argues that while China's infrastructure-led approach and state support provide a competitive edge, African nations must shift from exporting raw materials to developing domestic processing and refining capabilities to avoid the 'resource curse' and benefit from the global energy transition.

This policy brief examines the global race to secure critical minerals for green and digital industrial revolutions, detailing the strategies of the US, EU, UK, Canada, and China. It argues that African countries can leverage their mineral wealth through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) by adopting a 'climate-resilient developmental regionalism' approach to build regional value chains and achieve sustainable structural transformation.

This report by the Centre for Environmental Rights examines the risks and financing of onshore gas extraction in South Africa, focusing on the Mpumalanga Gas Project and the Virginia gas field. It critiques the government's positioning of gas as a 'transition fuel' and highlights significant environmental, financial, and transparency concerns.

This report from the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the activities and structural challenges of the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC). It evaluates the performance of the fifth Panel of the Wise, the coordination between the PSC and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the resurgence of mercenarism in Africa, and the underutilization of policing in peace support operations. Additionally, it outlines the priorities of Cameroon during its chairship of the PSC.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the gap between Africa's vast renewable energy potential and its current capacity. It highlights the continent's critical role in the global energy transition due to its abundance of solar, wind, and hydro resources, as well as essential critical minerals. The document outlines systemic barriers to progress, including insufficient financing, a heavy reliance on imported technology, and a lack of local manufacturing. It proposes strategic interventions for the African Union and G20 to enhance technology transfer, mobilize climate finance, and integrate African nations into green value chains beyond the supply of raw materials.

A statement by Friends of the Earth Africa arguing that fossil fuel extraction in Africa serves global elites and imperial powers rather than local populations, and calling for a just transition based on community-owned renewable energy and the payment of ecological debts.

An address by Dirco Minister Ronald Lamola outlining South Africa's foreign policy, which emphasizes active non-alignment, the centrality of Africa through Agenda 2063 and the AfCFTA, and solidarity with peoples resisting occupation in Palestine and Western Sahara.

This report by FSD Africa provides a pan-African forecast of direct green job creation by 2030 across 12 material value chains. It identifies a significant near-term opportunity for 1.5 to 3.3 million new direct jobs, primarily driven by the energy and power sector. The analysis emphasizes that while long-term potential is vast, immediate investment in human capital and skilling is required to realize these gains.

A fact sheet by Natural Justice detailing the proposed Maputo Floating Thermoelectric Power Plant Project in Mozambique, developed by Karpower and Electricidade de Moçambique (EDM). The project involves a natural gas-powered floating station and associated infrastructure, raising significant environmental, social, and economic concerns.

This policy brief examines the current state and potential of renewable energy technologies in Africa, highlighting the gap between the continent's vast natural resources and its low installed capacity. It analyzes barriers to the energy transition, including financing shortages, reliance on imported technology, and the need for better integration into green value chains, while providing recommendations for the African Union and G20 to support a just transition.