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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 New York Declaration on Forests Action Agenda (2014) outlines a comprehensive framework for governments, companies, indigenous peoples, and multilateral institutions to slow, halt, and reverse global forest loss. It details a 'menu of key actions' for various stakeholders and reports a surge in zero-deforestation commitments from global commodity traders and consumer goods companies, alongside national pledges for forest restoration and the protection of indigenous lands.

A statement from 67 civil society organizations (CSOs) providing recommendations to strengthen the African Development Bank's (AfDB) Independent Review Mechanism (IRM) following a second review by a consultant.

This policy brief outlines the sensitivity of Uganda's agriculture-dependent economy to rainfall fluctuations and highlights the systemic lack of accurate, long-term meteorological data due to infrastructure and personnel deficits. It introduces a study on climate trends and projections in Bundibugyo, Gulu, and Kotido as part of the Africa Climate Change Resilience Alliance (ACCRA) project.

This report by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) provides a high-level snapshot of the mitigation landscapes in 14 priority partner countries and regions to inform the development of intended nationally determined contributions (INDCs) for COP21. It analyzes national legislation, emission targets, Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs), and donor-funded projects, highlighting the diversity in ambition and capacity across developing nations.

This report examines the intersection of agro-value chain finance and climate adaptation, highlighting how limited access to financial resources hinders productivity and increases vulnerability to climate hazards. It argues that while some microfinance models are emerging, the banking sector must proactively integrate climate risk into its strategies and develop inclusive, climate-proof financial instruments to support sustainable development.

This report by Friends of the Earth International (ATI) documents violence and human rights violations against environmental defenders between November 2011 and October 2013. It argues that these attacks are a global trend driven by a neoliberal extractivist model and corporate dominance, which often results in the criminalization and physical persecution of activists, indigenous peoples, and local communities.

This report by Friends of the Earth International (FoEI) documents violence and human rights violations against environmental defenders between November 2011 and October 2013. It argues that these attacks are a global trend driven by a neoliberal extractive model that prioritizes corporate profit over the rights of nature and people. The document details various forms of repression—including criminalization, arbitrary detention, and targeted killings—and evaluates the effectiveness of international solidarity and legal strategies in protecting defenders.

This briefing note by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the role of the banking sector in providing agricultural finance that supports climate adaptation within agro-value chains, with a particular focus on developing countries in Africa and a case study on the coffee sector in Uganda.

This briefing paper examines the policy tools available to Eastern African states to foster 'national champions' in the mining sector and maximize sustainable development benefits from foreign direct investment. It analyzes the effectiveness of ownership and performance requirements and evaluates how international investment agreements, specifically Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs), may restrict the policy space of host governments.

This report synthesizes regional perspectives from Africa, Asia and the Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean on the capacity-building needs required to integrate sustainable development (SD) principles into national and subnational planning. Based on workshops held in 2014, the document identifies gaps in multistakeholder participation, vertical and horizontal government coordination, cross-sectoral policy integration, and monitoring, evaluation, and reporting (MER) systems to prepare countries for the post-2015 development agenda and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) analyzes the 2014 South African Defence Review. It describes the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) as being in a state of critical decline and evaluates the financial feasibility of the government's long-term plan to rejuvenate the military by 2034. The author argues that the review's expansive mandate is out of step with the available budget and suggests a more focused approach centered on peacekeeping and a 'growth core' concept.

This research paper analyzes the potential impact of future oil revenues on political stability and economic development in Ghana, Liberia, Uganda, and Tanzania. Using a game-theoretic model, the author argues that oil rents often disrupt political incentives, leading to predation, repression, or patronage that undermines economic performance. While Ghana shows more resilience due to its robust democracy and civil society, the author concludes that radical policy interventions like 'cash-to-citizen' transfers are implausible. Instead, the paper advocates for incremental, incentive-compatible reforms that respect existing elite bargains to avoid instability.

This research paper by Khabele Matlosa examines the evolution of democratic governance in Africa, focusing on the relationship between the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) and the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG). It analyzes the transition from the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) to the African Union (AU), the challenges of implementing governance reviews and National Programmes of Action (NPoAs), and proposes strategic imperatives to enhance synergy between the AU's governance and peace architectures.

This research paper by the African Centre for Cities and the Climate and Development Knowledge Network proposes a framework for 'climate compatible development' in African cities, specifically focusing on informal settlements. It argues that because a significant portion of Africa's urban growth occurs in slums, climate resilience must be integrated with poverty alleviation and in situ upgrading to avoid exacerbating existing inequalities.

This policy briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) examines the architecture of extractive governance in Africa, focusing on the Africa Mining Vision (AMV) and the African Minerals Development Centre (AMDC). It argues that for these African-led initiatives to succeed, they must integrate ground-level research, avoid duplication of efforts, and leverage the experience of existing global and multilateral frameworks.

This policy note from the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the challenges and progress in African fisheries governance, focusing on the tension between economic development, environmental sustainability, and social justice. It analyzes the roles of small-scale and industrial fisheries, the impact of illegal, unregulated, and unreported (IUU) fishing, and the transition toward co-management systems to address the limitations of centralized governance.

This report describes a 2013 pilot initiative by the International Institute for Sustainable Development and partners to promote an integrated approach to climate adaptation within Uganda's coffee value chain, utilizing 'Climate Dialogue Theatres' to analyze risks and responses.

This briefing note by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and Makerere University (MAK) examines the impacts of climate change on the coffee value chain in Uganda. Based on a 2013 pilot initiative using 'climate dialogue theatres,' the document argues for an integrated approach to climate adaptation that moves beyond the production level to include processing and marketing. It identifies systemic vulnerabilities, including a lack of trust between actors and a critical gap in agricultural financing, and recommends strengthening partnerships, developing flexible financial products, and investing in climate-resilient infrastructure.

This briefing describes the transition for Least Developed Countries (LDCs) from National Adaptation Programmes of Action (NAPAs), which address short-term urgent needs, to National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), which focus on medium- and long-term adaptation. It outlines the objectives of the NAP process, the use of 'no-regret' strategies, the integration of climate planning into national development, and the financial and monitoring challenges facing LDCs.