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This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the application of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) within the mining sector. It distinguishes SEA from project-level Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIA), positioning SEA as a strategic tool to integrate environmental and social considerations into policies, plans, and programs (PPPs). Through case studies from Namibia, Ghana, Romania, Mozambique, and Canada, the document demonstrates how SEA can optimize infrastructure, improve governance of artisanal mining, and manage mine closures, while identifying key institutional and political obstacles to its implementation.

The Natural Justice Strategy 2024-2028 outlines a pan-African approach to securing social and environmental justice through the legal empowerment of Indigenous Peoples and local communities. The organization focuses on strategic litigation, policy influencing, and the protection of traditional knowledge to combat the impacts of the climate crisis and harmful extractive projects.

This policy brief from the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the rising public debt burden in Africa, the complexities of its current composition, and the necessary reforms to the global financial architecture. It argues that while the G20 has established mechanisms like the Common Framework and the Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI), these are insufficient. The document proposes that the African Union (AU), as a new permanent member of the G20, should advocate for an African Credit Rating Agency, an African Debt Monitoring Mechanism, and a more inclusive debt restructuring process that includes private creditors and provides longer repayment periods.

The December 2023/January 2024 edition of the Peace & Security Council Report evaluates the African Union's (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC) performance in 2023, highlighting a trend toward discussing thematic issues over sensitive country crises. It examines the challenges of consensus-based decision-making, the upcoming 2024 AU chairship and PSC membership elections, and the potential impact of the UN's New Agenda for Peace on African security architecture.

This research paper by FSD Africa analyzes the integration of gender strategies within the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) of 31 African countries. Using the IUCN's Environment and Gender Information (EGI) framework, the study finds that while most African NDCs mention gender, there is a significant lack of gender analysis, sex-disaggregated data, and gender-responsive budgeting. The paper highlights a disconnect between the mobilization of climate finance and gender intentionality, noting that countries with high funding levels often fail to prioritize gender-responsive budgets.

This fact sheet from the Institute for Economic Justice argues for the implementation of a Universal Basic Income Guarantee (UBIG) in South Africa to combat extreme poverty, inequality, and unemployment. It defines UBIG as a government commitment to ensure all adults receive a minimum amount of money to meet basic needs, framing it as a fundamental right under the South African constitution and international covenants.

This fact sheet from the Institute for Economic Justice argues that a Universal Basic Income Guarantee (UBIG) can promote gender equality and social cohesion in South Africa by providing a guaranteed financial floor for all adults, reducing dependence on male partners, and fostering community inclusion.

This fact sheet from the Institute for Economic Justice explains how a Universal Basic Income Guarantee (UBIG) can empower individuals to escape poverty and stimulate local economies. It argues that providing a guaranteed basic income allows people to invest in productive activities and creates a 'multiplier effect' that benefits the broader economy, drawing on evidence from various global cash transfer programs.

The November 2023 Peace & Security Council Report examines the diplomatic implications of the first Saudi-Africa summit, the coordination between the AU Peace and Security Council (PSC) and the UN Security Council's A3 members, the precarious state of South Sudan's transition toward elections, and the AU's efforts to integrate youth into peacebuilding and economic integration via AfCFTA.

This report examines the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on MEFMI member states in sub-Saharan Africa, detailing how public health measures and external shocks led to GDP declines and increased fiscal pressure.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs advocates for the upscaling of marine and coastal ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) within the Southern African Development Community (SADC). It highlights the vulnerability of coastal and island states to climate risks and argues that integrating EbA into national policies and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) can simultaneously address climate adaptation, biodiversity conservation, and socio-economic development.

This research paper analyzes the evolving energy relations between Germany and Africa, noting a shift from traditional development cooperation toward a broader approach combining energy diplomacy, foreign policy, and technical cooperation. The author highlights a tension between Germany's commitment to a 'just transition' and its strategic interests in securing both renewable energy (particularly green hydrogen) and fossil fuel imports to ensure energy security.

This policy brief advocates for the scaling of Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) in the coastal and marine environments of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to enhance climate resilience, conserve biodiversity, and promote socio-economic development.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs evaluates the effectiveness of African Union (AU) mechanisms, specifically the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) and the Africa Governance Report (AGR), in improving governance across Africa. The author concludes that governance standards have generally remained static or declined since 1996, and that while APRM membership correlates with better performance, the review process itself does not guarantee improvement.

This report examines the use of risk mitigation and transfer (RMT) instruments to enable utility-scale renewable energy investments in the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC). Through case studies in Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, and Zambia, the authors analyze how financial instruments from development finance institutions (DFIs) help projects reach financial close by addressing offtaker, political, and currency risks. While RMTs have successfully protected existing projects during recent economic shocks, the report finds they are currently insufficient to enable new projects in countries facing severe debt distress, such as Zambia.

This briefing analyzes the impact of Germany's new feminist foreign policy on its relations with Africa, specifically examining the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development's (BMZ) 2023 Africa Strategy. While the author acknowledges the potential for a positive realignment based on respect and reciprocity, the document argues that the current approach is inconsistent, primarily limiting feminist principles to development cooperation rather than integrating them across all foreign policy domains such as security, trade, and climate policy.

A statement by the Southern African Yearly Meeting of Quakers urging the South African government to implement a universal basic income (UBI) to address a national crisis characterized by high unemployment, inequality, and poverty. The authors argue that a UBI, provided unconditionally to all citizens and legal immigrants, is necessary to prevent social instability and stimulate economic activity, citing a pilot project in Namibia as evidence of its effectiveness.

This report analyzes the 2022 activities of United Nations Human Rights Treaty Bodies (HRTBs) regarding state obligations in the context of climate change. It tracks the increasing frequency of climate-related recommendations in state review processes and examines specific trends in mitigation, fossil fuel regulation, adaptation, and the protection of vulnerable groups, including Indigenous Peoples and persons with disabilities.

This report by the Center for International Environmental Law and the Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights analyzes the 2022 activities of seven UN Human Rights Treaty Bodies (HRTBs) regarding climate change. It documents an increase in climate-related references in State reporting procedures and highlights key developments in General Comments and individual communications, specifically the landmark Billy et al. v. Australia case.

This research paper examines the integration of marine and coastal ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) within the climate policies and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) of 10 SADC member states. It identifies a systemic gap where terrestrial concerns often overshadow marine issues, leading to a disconnect between high-level global pledges and local implementation. The author analyzes national case studies, identifies significant hurdles—including capacity gaps, siloed governance, and financing shortages—and provides recommendations for strengthening the 'seascape' approach to climate resilience in Southern Africa.