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The report evaluates the EU's approach to combating the illicit trade of small arms and light weapons (SALW) and managing explosive remnants of war (ERW). It argues that while the EU has established a Small Arms Strategy and various funding instruments, there is a need for greater policy coherence, a formal extension of mine action assistance to include ERW, and a more comprehensive approach that links security and development. The document specifically examines the situation in North Africa, highlighting gaps in border management and the need for technical assistance in stockpile management and mine clearance.

The document lists the signature, ratification, and deposit dates for 53 African entities regarding the AU Convention on the Prevention and Combating of Terrorism. As of 23 June 2006, 48 countries had signed the convention, while 36 had completed ratification or accession and deposited their instruments.

The report outlines a shift in ICT4D from a technical focus to an integrated development approach, noting that while ICTs are recognized as critical for achieving Millennium Development Goals, funding from bilateral agencies is decreasing. It highlights the role of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) and identifies both the transformative potential of Community Multimedia Centres and persistent barriers such as 'technology dumping' and infrastructure instability.

The document assesses the progress and deadlocks of the Doha Round negotiations as of November 2005. It highlights significant stalemates in agricultural market access, non-agricultural market access (NAMA), and services, while detailing specific disputes over fisheries subsidies, intellectual property rights (TRIPS), and the implementation of special and differential treatment for developing countries. It also reviews the impact of the 2005 expiry of textile and clothing quotas and the ongoing efforts to improve the WTO's Dispute Settlement Understanding.

The report examines the WIPO Development Agenda process, detailing proposals from the Group of Friends of Development (FOD), the UK, and the US to integrate development goals into WIPO's governance, norm-setting, and technical assistance. It also tracks IP-related activities across the WTO, WHO, UNESCO, and various bilateral and regional trade agreements, highlighting a persistent divide between developed and developing nations over TRIPS flexibilities, public health, and the protection of traditional knowledge.

The document examines the conflict between the TRIPS Agreement and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), specifically advocating for mandatory disclosure of the origin of genetic resources and traditional knowledge in patent applications to prevent biopiracy. It also provides a quarterly update on IP negotiations within the WTO, WIPO, and other UN bodies, as well as developments in bilateral and regional free trade agreements involving the US and EU.

The research paper examines the expansion of South African companies into other African markets, noting that these firms often invest in diverse sectors beyond extractive industries and employ innovative strategies to overcome infrastructural deficits. While South African business competitiveness is high, it has led to perceptions of dominance and 'bullying' in smaller economies. The author argues that while regulating criminal behavior like bribery is necessary, any broader code of conduct must avoid being overly restrictive to prevent deterring investment in a challenging business environment.

The document argues that the human right to water requires states to maintain regulatory autonomy and flexibility, which may conflict with the trade liberalization goals of the WTO's GATS. It specifically examines how market access commitments, national treatment obligations, and proposed disciplines on domestic regulation could restrict a government's ability to use public monopolies, implement universal service obligations, or maintain environmental zoning and quality standards. The authors propose a 'progressive approach' where trade law is interpreted in deference to national regulatory autonomy to ensure that basic services are not left to the 'whim of markets'.

The Basel Action Network and a coalition of environmental NGOs oppose the U.S. State Department's plan to selectively ratify the 1989 Basel Convention while refusing the 1995 Ban Amendment. The authors argue that the original convention is inadequate and that the Ban Amendment is essential to end 'toxic colonialism' by prohibiting hazardous waste exports from OECD countries to non-OECD nations. They contend that the ban provides a necessary incentive for industry to reduce waste production and toxicity, and they urge the U.S. to either ratify the entire framework or not accede to the treaty at all.

The African Forum and Network on Debt and Development (AFRODAD) conducted various capacity-building initiatives, policy advocacy, and institutional partnerships in 2024 to address Africa's public debt burden, reform the global financial architecture, and promote sustainable debt management.

The document examines how rising debt burdens in Africa lead to austerity measures that compromise basic human rights, such as health and education. It highlights the success of previous debt relief initiatives like HIPC and MDRI while calling for a human rights-based approach to current debt management and the revamping of the G20 Common Framework.

The document critiques the G20 Common Framework and prior initiatives like HIPC, MDRI, and DSSI, claiming they provide minimal relief while encouraging new borrowing. It highlights the negative impact of credit rating agency biases and the lack of private creditor participation. The authors propose a shift toward an African-led financial system, including a gold-backed currency called the African Financial Asset (AfA), and call for unconditional debt cancellation.

The document examines how African public debt is rooted in colonial constructs and enforced through contract law, often perpetuating economic dependency. It analyzes the legal architecture at national and international levels, the various debt instruments used, and the systemic failures in transparency and accountability that lead to debt crises. The paper advocates for constitutional reforms, independent debt management offices, and a multilateral sovereign debt restructuring mechanism to ensure sustainable development and protect human rights.

The report highlights that tropospheric ozone is a potent greenhouse gas and air pollutant responsible for approximately 0.23°C of present-day warming and nearly 500,000 premature deaths annually. It is not emitted directly but forms from precursors like methane, nitrogen oxides (NOx), non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs), and carbon monoxide (CO). The document identifies a significant gap in global climate strategies, noting that tropospheric ozone is largely absent from the Paris Agreement and most Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). It provides sector-specific policy levers—ranging from methane capture in oil and gas to electric vehicle adoption in transport—and presents case studies from Los Angeles, Mexico City, Beijing, and Europe to demonstrate the effectiveness of targeted pollution control. The report concludes with recommendations for policymakers to adopt multi-pollutant approaches, for scientists to fill knowledge gaps in regional climate effects, and for funders to increase the currently insufficient international development funding for outdoor air pollution.

The case study examines 'The Economics of Adaptation, Water Security and Climate Resilient Development in Africa' programme (2013-2015), which trained over 130 professionals across eight African nations. It highlights the effectiveness of combining professional workshops with mandatory Action Plans and mentor-mentee relationships to bridge the gap between training and implementation. Key outcomes included the integration of climate change into Tunisia's national planning terms of reference and the approval of a flood management project in Maputo, Mozambique.

The CDKN's Africa START research call provides £300,000 for 16 projects and £150,000 for management and a learning forum. The funded research addresses diverse climate risks across Africa, including forest degradation in Nigeria and Cameroon, water management in Benin and Ethiopia, and coastal lagoon sensitivity in North Africa, all aimed at enhancing food security and rural livelihoods.

The WACDEP capacity development programme (2012-2015) trained approximately 140 participants across eight African countries to identify and implement 'no/low regret' investments for water security. The programme emphasized national ownership, the use of local trainers, and the integration of training with active national policy processes. Key results included the enhancement of Burkina Faso's National Adaptation Planning process, the development of a funded urban flood management project in Maputo, Mozambique, and the revision of water and land planning Terms of Reference in Tunisia. The brief concludes that decentralised management and mentor-supported learning are critical for translating capacity building into tangible development outcomes.

The document argues that the increasing use of manufactured nanomaterials (MNMs) in consumer and industrial products creates significant risks in the waste stream due to unknown toxicity and difficulties in characterization. It demands that governments and companies implement extended producer responsibility, restrict the transboundary movement of MNM waste, and establish public registries of nano-products, particularly within the European Union, to ensure safe recycling and disposal.

The document argues that manufactured nanomaterials (NM) in waste streams pose risks to health and the environment due to incomplete toxicity understanding. It demands the implementation of extended producer responsibility, restrictions on transboundary movements of NM waste, and the creation of a public registry of nano-products in the EU to ensure transparent quantification of waste flows. Additionally, it advocates for public funding of research into waste prevention and the development of safe recycling and disposal technologies that prevent cross-contamination of secondary materials.

The report examines the draft investment chapter of the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA), finding that it largely replicates NAFTA's Chapter 11. It warns that the proposed investor-state dispute settlement mechanism, broad definitions of expropriation, and restrictions on capital controls and performance requirements would empower corporations to challenge domestic laws and hinder sovereign economic and social development across the hemisphere.