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This scoping report by FSD Africa evaluates the feasibility of developing a green bond market within the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU). It identifies significant barriers, including underdeveloped regional financial markets, a lack of government-led climate initiatives, and limited stakeholder familiarity with international green bond standards. The report provides recommendations for capacity building, regulatory harmonization, and the identification of bankable green projects to attract both public and private investment for climate mitigation and adaptation.

The WAEMU Green Bond Scoping Report, published by FSD Africa in September 2022, evaluates the feasibility of developing a Green Bond market within the West African Economic and Monetary Union. The report identifies significant potential for sovereign and corporate issuance, particularly in energy, agriculture, and transportation, but highlights critical barriers including underdeveloped regional financial markets, a lack of government focus on climate-resilient regulatory frameworks, and limited technical capacity among stakeholders to meet international green standards. It recommends targeted capacity building, the development of harmonized regional guidelines, and the use of technical assistance and risk-transfer instruments to attract investors and build a pipeline of bankable green projects.

This research paper by Dr. Toni Haastrup analyzes the strained relationship between the African Union (AU) and the European Union (EU), arguing that geopolitical tensions—specifically Russia's invasion of Ukraine—have marginalized Africa as a priority for the EU and reinforced historical power imbalances.

This research paper examines the diverse responses of African nations to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and proposes four strategic options for the continent to advance its political, economic, and social interests amid the shifting geopolitical landscape.

This introduction to a special report by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes Algeria's socio-economic and political challenges leading up to 2040. It highlights a projected modest GDP growth rate of 1.8% between 2020 and 2040, which the authors argue is insufficient to improve livelihoods given the country's dependence on hydrocarbons, high unemployment, and a state-led economic system. The document emphasizes the urgent need for comprehensive structural reforms to address governance issues, climate change impacts on agriculture, and regional security threats.

This report by FSD Africa provides a first quantitative risk assessment and stress-testing framework for financial institutions in Africa to evaluate nature-related opportunities and risks. Using the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) LEAP approach, the study analyzes the impact of nature loss and nature-positive transitions on equity and lending portfolios across several African countries and private banks. It highlights that while aggregate portfolio impacts may appear small due to limited direct exposure, the risks are material for nature-intensive sectors like agriculture and extractives, where nature-related risks could double expected credit losses by 2030.

This policy brief by the International Institute for Sustainable Development examines the evolution and implementation of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), emphasizing the shift from emergency response to proactive risk management. It highlights the critical role of integrating DRR with climate change adaptation and the use of nature-based solutions, such as wetlands, to mitigate the impacts of increasingly frequent and intense weather-related disasters.

The South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) hosted a hybrid conference on 13 May 2022 titled 'The Peaceful Application of Nuclear Science and Technology in the Development Agenda'. The event focused on the role of nuclear technology in Africa's development, emphasizing institutional regulation, the inclusion of women and youth, and the pursuit of 'nuclear justice' and disarmament.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies assesses the applicability of transitional justice tools in the Lake Chad Basin (LCB), specifically in Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria. It explores how these mechanisms can address human rights abuses resulting from violent extremism and the Boko Haram crisis, emphasizing the need for a balance between restorative and retributive justice tailored to national and local contexts.

This research paper by the International Institute for Sustainable Development examines the evolution of international land governance, focusing on the transition from top-down desertification efforts to the concept of Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN). It details the drivers of land degradation, the role of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), and the socio-economic barriers—such as land tenure and gender inequality—that hinder restoration efforts.

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 by the Institute for Security Studies examines the intersection of climate change and human security in Africa. It argues that climate change acts as a 'threat multiplier' that interacts with existing socio-economic and political vulnerabilities to drive instability. The document advocates for a shift in climate governance from a focus on emissions and environmental risk to a development-led investment approach that builds economic resilience and social stability.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies evaluates Niger's disarmament, demobilisation, rehabilitation, resettlement and reintegration (DDRRR) programme for Boko Haram defectors at the Goudoumaria reception centre. While the programme has provided an exit route for at least 375 ex-associates, the study identifies significant failures in economic reinsertion, funding instability, and the protection of women, which may discourage further defections and increase the risk of recidivism.

A keynote speech delivered by Mavis Owusu-Gyamfi of the African Center for Economic Transformation (ACET) at the Youth Connekt Africa Summit, advocating for increased regional labor mobility to address youth unemployment and skills gaps in Africa.

This knowledge brief by Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) and ESMAP advocates for a shift from traditional equipment-ownership models to private sector-led, performance-based service models to ensure the sustainable electrification of public health and education facilities in low- and middle-income countries.

This policy brief analyzes the relationship between Russia and the three elected African member states (A3) in the UN Security Council (UNSC) from 2014 to 2020. Using statistical voting data, the authors argue that Russia's influence over the A3 is often exaggerated, as African states remain more aligned with the P3 (US, UK, and France) and act largely independently of Russian vetoes and abstentions.

This case study describes AgDevCo, a subsidized impact investor and project developer targeting early-stage small and medium agri-businesses in Sub Saharan Africa to improve food security, employment, and climate resilience for smallholder farmers.

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.

This case study describes TCX, a currency hedging solution designed to reduce currency and interest risk for energy and climate investments in developing countries by enabling long-term finance in local currencies.