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This report by Friends of the Earth International, the Corporate Europe Observatory, and the Transnational Institute examines how the mining company Anglo American uses its influence over governments and the UNFCCC to promote 'false solutions' to the climate crisis while continuing the extraction of polluting energy sources, specifically focusing on the El Cerrejón coal mine in Colombia.

This research paper analyzes the 2014 Protocol on Amendments to the Protocol on the Statute of the African Court of Justice and Human Rights (ACJHPR Amendment), specifically focusing on a provision that grants immunity from prosecution to serving African Union (AU) heads of state and senior officials. The author argues that this immunity provision is a symbolic reaction to the International Criminal Court's (ICC) focus on Africa and is contradictory to the AU's own constitutive principles and other regional agreements.

This policy brief examines the leadership of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) from 2014 to 2015, specifically the roles of Zimbabwe as the overall chair and South Africa as the chair of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation (OPDSC). It analyzes how domestic political dynamics, foreign policy, and institutional constraints influence their ability to shape the regional organization's agenda.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies examines the extent and nature of domestic violence in South Africa and the implementation of the Domestic Violence Act of 1998 (DVA). It highlights the discrepancy between official police statistics and community-based surveys, the prevalence of intimate partner violence and femicide, and the systemic failures within the police and court systems to protect victims.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies examines the nature, extent, and reporting of sexual violence in South Africa. It highlights significant gaps in police data, the prevalence of under-reporting, and the systemic failures of the criminal justice system in securing convictions for rape.

This policy briefing examines the decline in momentum of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) in Zambia, focusing on the waning involvement of civil society and challenges in implementing the National Programme of Action (NPoA). While Zambia initially pioneered innovative civil society engagement, the process has since struggled with funding, coordination, and a lack of integration into national development planning.

This policy briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the limited participation of African nations in the G-20. While South Africa is the only permanent African member, the document argues that the current ad hoc invitation of the African Union (AU) and NEPAD representatives is insufficient for a coordinated continental voice. It proposes establishing a coordinating secretariat within the AU Commission to prepare common African positions and suggests leveraging lessons from previous successes in aid effectiveness and BRICS outreach to improve Africa's influence on global economic governance.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) submitted a statement to the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) opposing Eskom's applications to postpone compliance with Minimum Emission Standards (MES). The CER argues that Eskom failed to provide required health impact assessments and future compliance plans, while monitoring data indicates that Eskom's emissions cause frequent, year-round exceedances of air quality guidelines, contributing to significant regional health risks.

This document introduces a report by the African Centre for Cities and CDKN that provides a framework for climate compatible development in African cities, specifically addressing the challenges of informality and inequality.

An open letter from 11 civil society and community organisations to South Africa's Minister of Environmental Affairs, Edna Molewa, urging the government to reject requests for exemptions from air pollution standards by Sasol and the National Petroleum Refiners of SA (Natref).

The National Environmental Compliance & Enforcement Report 2013/14 provides a comprehensive overview of the activities of South Africa's Environmental Management Inspectorate (EMI). It details statistics on criminal and administrative enforcement, compliance monitoring across 'brown' (pollution/waste) and 'green' (biodiversity) sectors, and specific case studies involving industrial facilities and wildlife crime, particularly rhino poaching.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies examines the persistence of political killings in post-apartheid South Africa, noting a high concentration of these incidents in KwaZulu-Natal and a low rate of criminal convictions.

This October 2014 report from the Institute for Security Studies analyzes recent activities of the African Union's Peace and Security Council (PSC), focusing on the role of the Panel of the Wise, continental counter-terrorism strategies, and political crises in South Sudan and Lesotho.

This policy briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs analyzes the behavior and voting patterns of African states within the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) between July 2010 and July 2014. It highlights a tension between the African Group's organized coordination and its diverse, often inconsistent, responses to human rights violations both within Africa and globally.

This policy briefing analyzes the decline of Nigeria's regional and continental diplomatic influence, arguing that a 'perverse hiatus' between its domestic instability and its foreign policy goals has led the country to punch below its weight despite being Africa's nominally largest economy as of May 2014.

The document analyzes Kenya's regional diplomacy, characterizing it as historically conservative and reluctant to exercise political leadership despite economic strength. It highlights a shift toward 'hard power' via military intervention in Somalia and President Uhuru Kenyatta's pan-African pivot to counter ICC proceedings. It also details the strategic blunders and economic imbalances defining Kenya's relationship with South Africa.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) submitted written comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Regulations published in August 2014. The CER argues that the proposed timeframes for assessments and decision-making are insufficient and potentially unconstitutional, and that the regulations fail to adequately address climate change impacts, the inefficiencies of the basic assessment process, and the need for clear guidance on biodiversity offsets to ensure 'no net loss' to the environment.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) submitted written comments on September 22, 2014, regarding the Draft National Appeal Regulations. The CER strongly opposes the proposed truncated timeframes for submitting appeals and making decisions, arguing that they violate the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act (PAJA), and the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA). The CER recommends widening the definition of 'independent' for experts, limiting the regulations' application to mining-related matters, and introducing provisions for the condonation of late filings.

This document consists of a formal submission by the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) and an accompanying independent peer review by Carin Bosman Sustainable Solutions (CBSS). It critiques the Integrated Water Use Licence Application (IWULA) Report prepared by Jones and Wagner for KiPower's proposed 600 MW coal-fired power station in Mpumalanga, South Africa. The CER and CBSS conclude that the IWULA is 'Inadequate' due to significant procedural and substantive failures, including the absence of a practical Integrated Water and Waste Management Plan (IWWMP) Action Plan and a failure to adequately assess impacts on groundwater and other water users.

This policy brief examines the application of Social Network Analysis (SNA) as a 'third-generation' approach to mapping organised criminal networks, contrasting it with traditional link analysis. It argues that while SNA provides an empirical, relationship-based understanding of network structures that can move policing from a reactive to a preventative stance, it requires significant technical expertise and fails to account for broader social and temporal contexts. The document uses a case study of the South African arms deal to demonstrate how SNA can reveal institutional corruption and the importance of specific nodes in a network.