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The policy brief examines the emerging architecture of extractive governance in Africa, focusing on the Africa Mining Vision (AMV) and its implementing agency, the African Minerals Development Centre (AMDC). It highlights a critical gap between the economic contributions of the mining and oil sectors and the local socio-economic realities. The author argues that for these home-grown initiatives to succeed, they must leverage research from institutions like SAIIA's Governance of Africa's Resources Programme (GARP), coordinate better to avoid duplication with other bodies like the AfDB's African Natural Resources Centre, and form strategic partnerships with established global mechanisms such as the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) and the Kimberley Process (KP).

The policy brief examines the critical role of dryland forests in Africa, which cover 61% of the continent and support 60% of its population. It argues that these ecosystems are chronically undervalued in national economic planning and suffer from a history of centralized management that alienated rural communities. The author contends that sustainable management requires devolving rights and responsibilities to the local level, legally entrenching community tenure, and investing in the real economic value of non-timber forest products to ensure conservation is more profitable than degradation.

The interior of Southern Africa faces severe climate impacts, including temperature increases of up to 6°C by 2100, which threaten dryland forests. These ecosystems, comprising Miombo and Kalahari Woodland biomes, are already degraded by land-use changes and over-use. The author argues that current SADC forestry policies are too sector-based and lack specific adaptation guidance for dryland forests. To build resilience, the document recommends a shift toward Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA), full-cost accounting of natural capital, and the creation of landscape connectivity to allow species migration. It emphasizes the role of community-based management and the use of non-timber forest products as socio-economic safety nets for the millions of people dependent on these forests.

The tourism sector in Kenya is highly climate-sensitive, with climate change already causing infrastructure damage and threatening key attractions. While the sector contributes less than one per cent of national greenhouse gas emissions, the document encourages businesses to adopt sustainable practices and low-carbon operations to build resilience and capture the growing market for sustainable tourism.

The document assesses various voluntary guidelines, principles, and financing mechanisms designed to mitigate the negative impacts of 'land grabs' and promote sustainable rural development. It highlights the roles of the Committee on World Food Security, the African Union, the World Bank, and the OECD, while noting that the primary challenge remains translating these voluntary principles into concrete national reforms and genuine support for small-scale farmers.

The document assesses the international response to the increase in agricultural land and water investments following the 2008 food crisis. It details various voluntary guidelines and principles established by intergovernmental bodies, international organizations, and the private sector, while also examining financial mechanisms designed to support smallholder farmers. The author notes that while a consensus exists on the need for responsible investment, most frameworks remain voluntary and lack enforcement mechanisms.

The analysis reveals a significant increase in trade between Ethiopia and BRICS, particularly with China and India, though the relationship remains characterized by a 'North-South' pattern. Ethiopia primarily exports primary products and crude materials while importing manufactured goods and machinery. While there are signs of diversification in the leather industry, the paper argues that Ethiopia must prioritize commodity-based transformation and value chain development to maximize the benefits of its trade with BRICS.

The document examines the governance of African fisheries, highlighting the tension between wealth generation and the 'welfare function' of small-scale fisheries. It identifies illegal, unregulated, and unreported (IUU) fishing as a major threat, particularly in West Africa, and discusses the transition from centralised governance to co-management systems. While progress is noted in the use of satellite tracking and regional cooperation to combat industrial overfishing, the document emphasizes the need for sustainable, independent co-management structures to protect livelihoods and ecosystems.

A coalition of social movements and NGOs argues that the FAO's current forest definition is reductionist and primarily benefits industrial timber, pulp, paper, and rubber companies. The authors contend that by defining forests simply as land with a certain percentage of tree cover, the FAO erroneously classifies large-scale monoculture plantations as 'reforestation' and ignores the structural and cultural importance of forests to the 300 million people who depend on them for their livelihoods. The letter calls for a new, community-led definition process that recognizes the role of forests in food sovereignty and biological diversity.

The International Conservation Budget 2014 details U.S. government initiatives to protect global biodiversity and natural resources. It highlights the strategic link between conservation and national security, noting how resource scarcity and illegal wildlife trafficking fuel instability and terrorism. The report outlines funding and activities across agencies including USAID, the Department of the Treasury (via the Global Environment Facility and Tropical Forest Conservation Act), the Department of State, and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Key efforts include combating wildlife trafficking, managing transboundary landscapes through the SCAPES program, and implementing REDD+ initiatives in Mexico and the Amazon. The document emphasizes the role of public-private partnerships and community-based natural resource management in achieving sustainable development and protecting critical ecosystems across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

The report argues that sustainability issues—such as pollution, biodiversity loss, and social conflict—in supplier countries create strategic risks for China's security of supply. It introduces a methodology to identify 'hot spots' by analyzing demand-side vulnerability and supply-side hazards. Through pilot studies on copper and palm oil, the report demonstrates that while China is highly vulnerable to supply disruptions in these sectors, it lacks a coordinated national strategy to manage these risks. The authors recommend that the Chinese government build the capacity of its embassies, engage more deeply with international sustainability standards, explore fiscal incentives for sustainable sourcing, and integrate supply chain sustainability into green public procurement and national planning.

The paper identifies six primary risk factors for conflict in Mozambique: history of violence and political party dynamics, geographic distribution, poverty and inequality, expectations, corruption, and the cost of extraction. While the authors conclude that full-scale civil war is improbable, they warn of a high likelihood of periodic pockets of violence, particularly in resource-rich regions where political opposition is strong and local populations feel marginalised.

The paper analyzes the funding of African governance institutions, such as anti-corruption commissions and the APRM, and processes like constitutional reform and the EITI. It argues that while government funding is ideal for ensuring national ownership, a mix of donor and state funds is common. The author highlights that funding can be used as a reward for good governance (e.g., US Millennium Challenge Account) or as a tool for donor control (e.g., EU funding of PEFA). The document concludes that mitigating external influence requires a combination of self-assessment processes, adherence to continental or global standards, and the mainstreaming of governance actions into national budgets.

The document serves as a manual for NGOs to navigate the process of filing amicus curiae submissions in ICSID proceedings. It explains the legal nature of international investment arbitration, the specific rules (such as Rule 37(2)) governing non-disputing party participation, and the challenges of integrating human rights law into investment disputes. It provides best practices for drafting petitions and submissions, emphasizing the need for legal arguments grounded in applicable law and the importance of demonstrating the petitioner's independence and expertise. The guide also includes several case studies and actual petitions and orders from cases such as Biwater Gauff v. Tanzania and Suez v. Argentina to illustrate the practical application of these rules.

The document explains the role of amicus curiae in ICSID proceedings, detailing the legal requirements under Rule 37(2) for non-disputing parties to file written submissions. It highlights the tension between investment protection and human rights, arguing that amicus interventions are critical for introducing public interest perspectives into a system that often prioritizes investor rights. The guide provides best practices for drafting petitions and submissions, emphasizing the need for legal grounding and the demonstration of the petitioner's independence and expertise.

The document argues that developing countries can avoid high-carbon lock-in by adopting strategic industrial policies to build technological capabilities. It examines energy efficiency in the sub-Saharan African cement sector and the growth of renewable energy manufacturing in China and India, recommending a mix of targeted protectionism, best available technology regulations, and international support to transition toward climate-compatible development.

The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), established in 2003 to improve governance in member states, has failed to attract significant media attention despite its potential. The document identifies four primary barriers: the bulky and technical nature of Country Review Reports (CRRs), a lack of understanding of the APRM's complex processes among journalists, a media focus on sporadic events rather than the implementation of National Programmes of Action (NPoAs), and inadequate communication strategies from APRM structures. Furthermore, the paper notes that the APRM's self-assessment questionnaires historically neglected media freedom, only introducing a related question in 2011. Case studies from Zambia, South Africa, Mozambique, and Uganda illustrate that while media-friendly packaging (such as traffic light rating systems) can generate interest, coverage remains intermittent and superficial. The authors argue that the media's watchdog role is essential for monitoring NPoA implementation and recommend the adoption of continental and national media strategies, specialized journalist beats, and increased training to bridge the gap between the APRM and the public.

The document outlines that Africa is experiencing significant warming and increased extreme weather, which threatens food security, health, and economic growth. It argues that while Africa has contributed little to historic emissions, it is highly vulnerable and must integrate adaptation and mitigation into long-term development planning. Key opportunities for the region include adopting decentralized renewable energy, implementing conservation agriculture, and planning low-carbon urban growth to avoid fossil fuel lock-in.

The research examines the Kenyan solar PV market, challenging the narrative that its growth was purely private-sector led. It argues that donor support was critical in building innovation systems by funding experimentation, network-building, and technical training. The study highlights the transition from Solar Home Systems (SHS) to pico-solar products, the role of 'innovation system builders' like Energy Alternatives Africa (EAA) and Lighting Africa, and the complex interactions between niche actors and the Kenyan government's energy policy regime.

The document describes a methodology developed by SEI for the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to evaluate the coherence and effectiveness of national implementation of MEA clusters. Tested in Estonia and Tanzania on four biodiversity-related agreements, the methodology uses 15 governance categories to score performance as 'strong', 'moderate', or 'weak'. Findings indicate the tool is useful and relatively easy to apply, though outcomes are harder to trace than processes, and the methodology may require adaptation to specific national contexts.