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Exploring a comprehensive loss and damage facility for African countries
The policy brief proposes a framework for national loss and damage facilities in Africa to manage climate-induced losses. It distinguishes between risk finance for avoidable/unavoided risks and curative finance for unavoidable risks, suggesting a diversified funding model including philanthropic funds, multilateral grants, and innovative levies. The author illustrates the need for such facilities through case studies of extreme weather in South Africa, Mozambique, and Malawi, as well as a slow-onset drought in Cape Town, highlighting gaps in current disaster response and the necessity of integrating knowledge development, resilience building, and formal compensation mechanisms.
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Document type: Policy brief
NATURAL GAS IN AFRICA AMID A LOW-CARBON ENERGY TRANSITION
The report finds that LNG developments in Mozambique and Tanzania face significant transition risks, with asset values potentially dropping by 61% and 69% respectively in a 'Well Below Two Degrees Centigrade' (WB2C) scenario. In a 'Net Zero by 2050' (NZE) scenario, most projects would become uneconomic or 'value destructive' for investors. The authors argue that pursuing domestic gas-led industrialisation could further erode the viability of export projects and may require substantial government subsidies, potentially costing Tanzania approximately $5 billion over 30 years. Consequently, governments face material downside risks to public finances, as they intend to use gas revenues for public expenditure.
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Document type: Case study
NATURAL GAS IN AFRICA AMID A GLOBAL LOW-CARBON ENERGY TRANSITION
The report examines the impact of global decarbonisation on Africa's natural gas sector, distinguishing between existing and emerging producers. It argues that faster global transitions to net-zero emissions will reduce LNG demand and prices, creating 'external' climate transition risks that threaten the viability of future projects. The analysis suggests that domestic demand is an insufficient hedge against these risks due to regulated low prices and the increasing competitiveness of renewable energy. Emerging producers are identified as particularly vulnerable due to weaker sovereign credit ratings and the timing of their infrastructure investments.
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Document type: Report
How a UBIG can advance gender justice and social cohesion
The document examines how a universal basic income guarantee (UBIG) can address structural gender inequalities and social instability in South Africa. It argues that by decoupling income from waged labour, a UBIG empowers women who are disproportionately affected by unemployment and unpaid care work. The text cites international evidence to suggest that unconditional cash transfers reduce intimate partner violence, increase school attendance for girls, and lower crime rates. It emphasizes that universality is essential to avoid social stigma and ensure women's agency.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Why does South Africa need a Universal Basic Income Guarantee?
The document advocates for a Universal Basic Income Guarantee (UBIG) in South Africa, defining it as a regular cash transfer provided as a right to all adults to cover basic necessities. It argues that a UBIG is superior to targeted grants, which often suffer from high exclusion errors and administrative complexity. The series presents evidence that basic income support improves health, education, and mental well-being, particularly for children, and empowers women by reducing their economic dependence on men and vulnerability to intimate partner violence. Economically, it contends that UBIGs do not create dependency or discourage work; instead, they can stimulate local economies through a multiplier effect and provide workers with an 'exit option' from exploitative labor. The document proposes financing the UBIG through progressive taxation, including a social security tax, wealth taxes, and the removal of subsidies for the wealthy, estimating a gross annual cost of R255 billion if set at the Food Poverty Line, which would be significantly offset by VAT recoupment and economic growth.
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Document type: Fact sheet
How a UBIG can support healthier kids, happier adults, & lifelong learning
The factsheet outlines how a universal basic income guarantee (UBIG) serves as an investment in human capital by improving child health, mental health, and educational attainment. It cites evidence from South Africa and other low- and middle-income countries to show that cash transfers reduce malnutrition, increase school enrolment, and improve life satisfaction, which in turn enhances labour market productivity and long-term economic security.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Grandes entreprises : nous exigeons des règles contraignantes
The statement by Friends of the Earth International calls for a shift from non-binding guidelines to legally binding regulations for multinational corporations. It highlights the failure of the UN Guiding Principles and advocates for an international treaty currently under negotiation at the UN, supported by national legislation. The text cites the French 'duty of vigilance' law and a proposed corporate and human rights framework in Brazil as key examples of progress toward corporate accountability.
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Document type: Statement
Gender Assessment
The report outlines the Green Guarantee Company's (GGC) framework for integrating gender equality and women's empowerment into its credit guarantee operations for green bonds and loans. It assesses gender vulnerabilities in five key sectors—energy, transport, buildings/cities, health/food/water security, and infrastructure—and provides high-level profiles for eight target countries. The document details a seven-step Transaction Selection Process (TSP) designed to ensure that guaranteed projects are gender-responsive, including rigorous due diligence, remediation strategies, and the use of a multidisciplinary 'line of defence' consisting of internal and external gender specialists.
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Document type: Report
The Impact of Fertilizer Prices on Africa
The document examines how the war in Ukraine disrupted global supply chains, leading to a sharp increase in fertilizer prices across Africa. It notes that these price hikes, combined with high input costs for natural gas and coal, threaten crop yields and increase food prices. While short-term input subsidies are common, the brief advocates for industrialization and the utilization of Africa's natural gas, coal, and phosphate rock reserves to build domestic fertilizer production capacity.
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Document type: Policy brief
Africa Private Equity and Debt Programme
The Africa Private Equity and Debt Programme (2020-2025) focuses on developing private capital markets across Africa to complement public markets. It seeks to increase the participation of local institutional investors, particularly pension funds, through regulatory reform, capacity building, and the creation of demonstration transactions. Key achievements include supporting Kenya's policy framework for private equity and venture capital, launching the AVCA Training Academy, and conducting market studies on private debt and pension fund investments in Southern Africa.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Debt Management Programme
The MEFMI Debt Management Programme (February 2021 - September 2022) provided technical assistance and capacity building to several African nations to improve debt sustainability, transparency, and strategic management. Key achievements include conducting debt sustainability analyses in Eswatini and Tanzania, developing a debt statistical bulletin in Botswana, consolidating debt databases in Zambia, and formulating Medium-Term Debt Management Strategies in Tanzania and Zimbabwe.
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Document type: Fact sheet
SADC Green Bonds Programme
The SADC Green Bonds Programme, running from April 2021 to March 2024, seeks to accelerate the use of green bonds for climate finance in SADC member countries. Key achievements include the launch of the SADC Green and Sustainable Bond guidelines in April 2022, the revision of the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange rules in Tanzania, and the issuance of a MUR 500 million green bond by Cim Financial Services Limited in Mauritius.
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Document type: Fact sheet
The Great Game is afloat: Africa and Indian Ocean geopolitics
The report examines how the rise of the Indo-Pacific strategic framework and intensifying competition between traditional powers (US, UK, France) and emerging powers (China, India) affect African maritime security and development. It highlights the critical importance of Indian Ocean trade routes, the proliferation of foreign military bases in the region, and the risk of African states being drawn into proxy wars. The author emphasizes that while great power competition is a long-term risk, immediate threats include piracy, illegal fishing, and climate change. The paper recommends that African states and the African Union develop a unified conception of their maritime interests and leverage multilateral organizations to protect their sovereignty and blue economy goals.
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Document type: Research paper
2022 SCORECARD ON Insurance, Fossil Fuels and the Climate Emergency
The 2022 Scorecard finds that while insurance for new coal power plants outside China has largely dried up, the industry is only beginning to shift away from oil and gas. Most of the 30 assessed insurers scored poorly on oil and gas policies (1.1/10) compared to coal (3.3/10). The report identifies Allianz as a leader in underwriting policies and SCOR as a leader in divestment, while naming Berkshire Hathaway, Everest Re, PICC, Sinosure, and Starr as laggards. It also criticizes the Net-Zero Insurance Alliance (NZIA) for failing to comply with UN Race to Zero requirements to phase out unabated fossil fuels.
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Document type: Report
Pandemic-resilient communities powered by DRE
The report showcases eight DRE projects across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, illustrating how solar PV, hydropower, and solar-powered desalination improve health services, education, and economic stability during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Document type: Report
Driving Digital Inclusion Within the AfCFTA Framework
The paper examines the 'digital Grand Canyon' in Africa, identifying infrastructural, financial, and regulatory barriers to internet connectivity. It highlights the disproportionate impact of the digital divide on women and youth and proposes a combination of top-down government strategies and bottom-up market initiatives to foster inclusion. The authors argue that the AfCFTA framework should be used to harmonise digital trade rules, encourage diverse infrastructure financing, and implement comprehensive digital upskilling to ensure the continent's participation in the 4th Industrial Revolution.
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Document type: Research paper
‘Jobs versus Grants’: Are employment and basic income a policy trade-off?
The document challenges the belief that social grants create a 'culture of dependency' or discourage labour market participation in South Africa. By reviewing international and local evidence, it argues that cash transfers often facilitate job searches, stimulate local economies, and empower women. The authors advocate for a UBIG indexed to the upper-bound poverty line, funded through progressive taxation, as a means to eliminate poverty while supporting inclusive economic growth.
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Document type: Policy brief
Voluntary Sustainability Standards in East Africa
The report analyzes the alignment between three voluntary sustainability standards (VSSs)—the East African Organic Products Standard (EAOPS), the Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP) Standard, and GLOBALG.A.P.—and the agricultural policies of the East African Community (EAC). It focuses on staple crops (beans, maize, rice, and wheat) which are critical for food security and regional trade. The findings indicate strong alignment with climate resilience goals and medium alignment with productivity and trade objectives. Key barriers to scaling VSSs include high certification costs for smallholders, low domestic demand for certified products, and a lack of official political recognition from national standards bureaus. The report recommends that VSS bodies use pilot projects to prove their value and that EAC policy-makers provide targeted financial support and official recognition to integrate these standards into regional trade and development frameworks.
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Document type: Report
Is the AfCFTA the ‘Game Changer’ for Africa?
The AfCFTA aims to create a $3.4 billion economic bloc to foster structural transformation through agricultural upgrading, light manufacturing growth, and the deepening of regional value chains (RVCs). While initial tariff offers show potential for significant gains, the document notes that the liberalisation of services has lagged, with a new deadline of December 2023. Implementation is supported by mechanisms like the Afreximbank Adjustment Fund and the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System, though the authors highlight a critical weakness in accountability: private parties cannot access the AfCFTA's dispute settlement mechanism. The brief concludes that while the project is long-term and potentially 'oversold' to the private sector, it remains a vital instrument for overcoming the limitations of smaller regional economic communities.
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Document type: Policy brief
Tracking the trade: Increasing efficiency and transparency in Tanzania’s timber sector
The document examines the transition from paper-based to electronic timber tracking in Tanzania via the Timber Tracker system. It finds that while the system has increased royalty revenues and reduced opportunities for bribery and document forgery during transport, corruption risks persist in the initial harvest permitting phase. The report highlights the importance of government buy-in and provides recommendations for expanding the system's coverage and improving technical capacity.
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Document type: Guide