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The document outlines a projected shift in Africa's labour market from 2023 to 2043, where a 'Combined scenario' envisions a significant decrease in informal employment from 58% to 40%. This transition is expected to be driven by a resurgence in manufacturing, digital innovation, and targeted investments in infrastructure and skills, leading to improved social protection and government revenue.

The report analyzes the evolution of state governance in the Global South, identifying a disconnect between political participation and institutional capacity. It employs a horizon scan across five domains and develops four scenarios—the Growth World, Sustainable World, Divided World, and World at War—to model potential governance trajectories. Key findings highlight the rise of hybrid governance, the destabilizing effect of extreme inequality, and the urgent need for anticipatory governance to manage systemic shocks like the global debt crisis and climate vulnerability.

The study finds that while Ethiopia, Senegal, and South Africa generally maintain cautious, non-aligned international postures, their regional approaches vary significantly. Ethiopia has adopted a highly assertive posture regarding sea access and geostrategic relevance; Senegal demonstrated assertive interventionism during the 2017 Gambian crisis to protect internal security; and South Africa maintains a 'reluctant hegemon' image, experiencing setbacks in the Democratic Republic of Congo due to military and agency constraints.

The report examines Africa's green technology transition in 2025, highlighting how tightening global trade rules, such as the EU's CBAM and the uncertainty surrounding AGOA, alongside the US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, have created economic pressures. It details multilateral outcomes from COP30, including the Belém Package's goal to triple adaptation finance by 2035, and continental efforts like the African Single Electricity Market and the goal to mobilise $50 billion annually for climate solutions. The text emphasizes the critical need for affordable decarbonisation finance and measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) capacity to prevent the marginalisation of African firms.

The report examines Africa's green tech transition in 2025, highlighting the challenges posed by the US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, and the expiration of AGOA. It details continental efforts to mobilize $50 billion annually for climate solutions and the progress toward an African Single Electricity Market, while noting the emerging role of AI in climate action and the need for a just transition to prevent the marginalization of smaller firms.

As part of the SUNCASA project, AVEGA Agahozo implemented a childcare program at tree nurseries in Kigali, Rwanda, for children aged 9 to 35 months. The initiative addresses barriers to women's participation in nature-based solutions (NbS) by providing safe, on-site care through a rotation of parents and caregivers. The program includes early childhood development training for parents and the creation of toys from recycled materials, aiming to increase the productivity of mothers and ensure the safety and development of their children.

As of the end of 2025, the Climate Bonds Initiative recorded a cumulative aligned GSS+ debt volume of USD6.8tn, with annual aligned volume reaching USD1.0tn for the third consecutive year. Green bonds remain the dominant label, accounting for 64% of 2025 aligned volume (USD653.5bn), while sustainability bonds reached a record annual volume of USD217.3bn. Europe leads globally in both annual and cumulative aligned volume, though the USA remains the largest single country source of cumulative aligned volume at USD887.4bn. The report also highlights the launch of the Climate Bonds Resilience Taxonomy (CBRT) to address the funding gap for climate adaptation and resilience, exemplified by the world's first CBRT-certified resilience bond issued by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.

The assessment evaluates the viability of nature-based solutions (NbS) in Johannesburg's Jukskei River catchment, including riparian restoration and urban tree planting. Using the SAVi methodology, the report finds that these interventions are economically viable, with a discounted benefit-to-cost ratio (BCR) of 3.06 and cumulative net benefits of ZAR 152 million from 2025 to 2050. The most significant benefits are avoided health costs from water pollution and avoided infrastructure damage from flooding.

The SUNCASA project utilizes a monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) framework to track changes in gender and social inclusion norms among participants in Ethiopia, Rwanda, and South Africa. Using pre- and post-training surveys with Likert-style questions, the project recorded an 82% increase in participants' knowledge of GESI issues, exceeding its 50% target. The project emphasizes an intersectional approach to identify how learning outcomes vary by gender, age, and marginalized status, specifically noting significant gains in household power dynamic awareness among women in Kigali and social equity understanding among youth in Johannesburg.

The briefing identifies critical areas of focus for the 2026 Mining Indaba, specifically the impact of US, EU, and Chinese geopolitics on critical minerals, the struggle to establish domestic mineral value chains in Africa, the role of transport infrastructure like the Lobito Corridor, the viability of regional battery value chains between the DRC and Zambia, and the potential for engagement between the main event and the civil society-led Alternative Mining Indaba.

The report examines how the UAE and Saudi Arabia are emerging as primary financiers of clean energy in Africa, noting a shift toward multi-billion dollar renewable and hydrogen projects. While GCC investments are substantial, they are currently concentrated in a few low-risk markets like Egypt, Morocco, and South Africa. The authors argue that to maximize impact, the GCC should pivot toward funding transmission infrastructure, geothermal energy, methane abatement, and critical mineral refining across a broader range of African nations.

The document assesses early adaptation signals in Rwanda's water resources and mining sectors, finding technical progress in catchment restoration and climate-compatible mining, but highlighting systemic gaps in leadership inclusion, procurement, and the integration of artisanal miners.

The report assesses the integration of GESI into Rwanda's mining adaptation strategies, identifying a gap between high-level policy commitments and the lack of disaggregated data in implementation. While Rwanda has set targets for climate-compatible practices and site rehabilitation, current monitoring fails to track the participation of women, youth, and persons with disabilities. The report recommends mandatory disaggregated reporting, participatory community mapping via GIS, and the creation of an Inclusive Adaptation Scorecard.

The report evaluates Rwanda's water sector adaptation targets under NDC 3.0, finding that while technical goals for water storage, flood protection, and catchment restoration are robust, they lack GESI-disaggregated data and inclusive metrics. It recommends reforming the 2018 Water Resources Law to mandate social inclusion plans, establishing a Joint GESI Coordination Unit, and implementing ring-fenced budgets for women's and youth cooperatives to ensure equitable adaptation outcomes.

The document details Rwanda's shift from framework-level climate commitments in NDC 2.0 to an outcome-driven strategy in NDC 3.0, specifically for the water and mining sectors. It introduces SMART indicators, disaggregated water storage targets, and specific adoption rates for climate-compatible mining, supported by detailed funding estimates and institutional mandates to enhance accountability and investor confidence.

The research argues that Ethiopia, Senegal, and South Africa generally adopt a 'cautious' posture internationally—characterized by non-alignment and partnership diversification—while tending toward more 'assertive' approaches regionally. However, South Africa serves as a partial exception, exhibiting assertiveness internationally (notably regarding Gaza) and a more cautious or less effective approach regionally (such as in the DRC). The paper uses these cases to argue for a plural conception of 'African agencies' driven by national interest and the goal of strategic autonomy.

South Africa holds approximately 80% of global Platinum Group Metals (PGMs), which are essential catalysts for PEM electrolysers and fuel cells used in green hydrogen production. While this provides a strategic opportunity for re-industrialisation and decarbonisation, the transition faces severe constraints, including an outdated electricity grid, water scarcity in high-resource areas, and a significant skills gap. The shift also threatens the coal and internal combustion engine automotive sectors, risking large-scale job losses in regions like Mpumalanga and the Eastern Cape. Geopolitically, South Africa must navigate competition between China and Western powers, particularly as the US has withdrawn support for the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP). The paper argues that for the transition to be 'just', the government must integrate mineral beneficiation with social safeguards, regional SADC integration, and comprehensive workforce reskilling.

The report assesses the state of asset management and pension systems across Africa, highlighting a general trend of conservative investment strategies, low retail participation, and uneven regulatory oversight. It identifies a strong prevalence of defined benefit and pay-as-you-go pension schemes, particularly in francophone and lusophone countries, while anglophone nations lean toward funded defined contribution models. Key challenges include low coverage for informal workers and women, limited ESG integration, and a heavy reliance on government securities. The document recommends shifting toward risk-based supervision, expanding micro-pension schemes, and developing national ESG taxonomies to deepen capital markets.

The assessment finds that nature-based solutions (NbS) in Kigali—including afforestation, reforestation, agroforestry, and urban tree planting—are economically viable, with a discounted benefit-to-cost ratio (BCR) of 2.09 and cumulative net benefits of RWF 17,039 million from 2025 to 2050. The primary economic driver is the avoidance of flood damage to infrastructure, valued at RWF 17,311 million, alongside significant intangible benefits from reduced water pollution and carbon sequestration. Sensitivity analyses indicate that higher valuations for carbon and water pollution further increase the project's economic viability, with BCRs reaching up to 2.94.

The 2026 Progress Report details WWF's conservation efforts in 2025, focusing on the recovery of African elephants, mountain gorillas, snow leopards, bison, and sharks and rays. Key achievements include a consumer awareness campaign against ivory in Viet Nam, the establishment of a transboundary conservation area for snow leopards in Asia, and the restoration of bison herds in North America. The report emphasizes the use of scientific research, such as population censuses and GPS telemetry, to guide habitat management and policy across multiple continents.