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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 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.

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.

The June 2021 Peace & Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the African Union's (AU) role in managing crises in the Central African Republic, Sudan, and Chad, while analyzing the institutional challenges of the Pan-African Parliament and the strategic partnership between the AU and the United Nations.

The March 2021 Peace & Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies examines several critical security and financial challenges facing the African Union (AU), including the Ethiopia–Sudan border dispute, the insurgency in Mozambique, the AU's financial dependence on external partners, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) impasse, and the transition of AMISOM in Somalia.

The NAP Global Network 2020–2021 Progress Report details the activities of a network dedicated to supporting developing countries in formulating and implementing National Adaptation Plans (NAPs). During the reporting period (December 2020 to November 2021), the Network shifted toward providing rapid, short-term technical assistance via its Country Support Hub and focused on integrating gender, health, and finance into adaptation planning to accelerate climate-resilient recovery.

The African Environmental Defenders Fund (AED Fund), launched in 2019 by Natural Justice and the International Land Coalition, provides emergency financial assistance to land and environmental defenders across Africa facing imminent threats. Between March 2020 and October 2021, the fund processed 45 applications, approving 27 for support including legal representation, relocation, and medical aid. The report highlights a significant volume of applications from Uganda and a particular vulnerability of female defenders to gender-based violence.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs assesses the economic policy responses of low-income countries (LICs) in Africa to the COVID-19 pandemic. It finds that while these countries employed expansionary fiscal and monetary tools, the scale and quality of their responses were modest compared to developed and middle-income nations due to pre-existing structural bottlenecks, high debt, and limited fiscal space. The document emphasizes the need for a data-driven recovery approach, increased digital and financial inclusion, and the continued importance of official development assistance, particularly for fragile states.

This document provides guidelines for a call for Expressions of Interest (EOI) issued by the Global Resilience Partnership (GRP), in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and GEF’s Challenge Program for Adaptation Innovation. The initiative seeks to identify and scale innovative financial mechanisms that support private sector resilience solutions in Fragile and Conflict-Prone Least Developed Countries.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the evolution of countering violent extremism (CVE) in Kenya, moving from primarily military-based responses to a multi-sectoral approach. It evaluates the experiences of state and non-state actors, the implementation of the National Strategy to Counter Violent Extremism (NSCVE), and the development of County Action Plans (CAPs) in high-risk regions.

This policy brief argues for increased investment in resilience in Malawi to mitigate the rising economic costs of extreme weather events. It introduces the 'triple dividend' of resilience—avoided losses, unlocked development potential, and co-benefits—and provides evidence from various sectors and regions showing that such investments are highly cost-effective compared to humanitarian aid.

This July 2020 issue of the Peace & Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies examines critical political and security challenges across Africa, focusing on the Central African Republic's electoral turning point, the diplomatic impasse between Somalia and Somaliland, insecurity in the Sahel, and the impact of COVID-19 on governance and elections across the continent.

This June 2020 report from the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the activities of the African Union's Peace and Security Council (PSC), focusing on regional coordination against COVID-19, the political and security situation in Somalia, institutional reforms within the AU Commission, and the challenges of borderland security and youth engagement.

This policy brief examines the African Peer Review Mechanism's (APRM) goal of achieving universal accession by 2023, arguing that the organization must prioritize clearing its backlog of unreviewed members and improving the implementation of governance reforms over simply increasing membership numbers.

This submission by Natural Justice to the UN Special Rapporteur in the Field of Cultural Rights details the impacts of climate change on indigenous peoples and local communities in Africa. It highlights how environmental shifts and land-use changes threaten bio-cultural resources and traditional knowledge, while presenting 'Community Protocols' as a tool for adaptation and the protection of cultural rights. The document also outlines the severe risks faced by cultural and environmental rights defenders in Africa, including violence, criminalization, and land grabbing.

The May 2020 Peace & Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the African Union's (AU) challenges in the Sahel, the human rights risks associated with COVID-19 states of emergency, the adaptation of peace support operations (PSOs) to the pandemic, and the economic threat to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It also analyzes the potential shift in the global order and the need for Africa to reduce its dependence on external support.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies argues that stabilisation in Somalia requires a shift from a predominantly military-led approach to one that integrates non-military strategies. The author identifies five critical factors for sustainable peace: inclusive political reconciliation among clans, context-appropriate policing, basic infrastructural development, investment in women and youth, and the coordination of external partners.

This research paper outlines the strategic opportunities for South Africa in 2020 as it concurrently chairs the African Union (AU) and serves as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. The author argues that South Africa can reclaim its continental prestige by focusing on three priority areas: conflict resolution ('Silencing the Guns'), the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), and the improvement of governance through the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM).

This research paper examines Turkey's strategic efforts to expand its influence in North and East Africa to counter regional isolation and secure energy interests. It focuses on Turkey's military and political support for the Government of National Accord (GNA) in Libya, its diplomatic tensions with Greece, Cyprus, Egypt, and France over Mediterranean exclusive economic zones, and its broader 'Open to Africa' policy exemplified by its deep involvement in Somalia.