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A statement by the Institute for Security Studies arguing that African nations must prevent the adoption of a new Protocol to the Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW) that would weaken the existing 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM).

This briefing examines Uganda's threat to withdraw its forces from the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) following allegations of Ugandan support for the M23 rebellion in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the fragile state of Somalia in early 2005 following the election of President Abdullahi Yusuf. It details the complex geopolitical maneuvering between the Transitional National Government (TNG) and the Ethiopian-backed Somali Reconciliation and Reconstruction Council (SRRC), the role of IGAD states in the peace process, and the significant challenges the new transitional government faces in establishing authority, including dependence on external support and internal factionalism.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the implementation of the gacaca process in Rwanda, a system of community-based courts designed to prosecute perpetrators of the 1994 genocide. It details the transition from a pilot phase to a national rollout, the legal framework established by the 2001 and 2004 laws, and the significant challenges regarding judicial rigour, prison capacity, and national reconciliation.

This briefing from the Conflict Prevention and Risk Analysis (CPRA) unit in Pretoria, dated 11 July 2012, details the security deterioration in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) following the rise of the M23 rebel group in North Kivu.

The report evaluates the AU Peace and Security Council's efforts in conflict resolution and regional stability, highlighting failures in Sudan's mediation due to biased mediator selection and a lack of political focus. It examines the limitations of PSC field missions, the rising death toll of humanitarian workers in Africa, and the role of illegal natural resource exploitation in funding armed groups. Finally, it discusses the need for greater African agency and strategic coordination in infrastructure and security partnerships with China through FOCAC.

This policy brief examines the 1973 Lokiriama Peace Accord, an unwritten indigenous agreement between the Turkana of Kenya and the Matheniko of Uganda. The author argues that this community-centred, culturally sensitive approach to conflict resolution is more durable than modern, state-led interventions, which often focus on punishment rather than reconciliation. The document recommends that governments in the Karamoja Cluster integrate traditional governance structures into their peacebuilding strategies to address persistent intercommunal violence and the impacts of climate change.

This report summarizes a public seminar held on November 20, 2009, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, jointly organized by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) and the Ethiopian International Institute for Peace and Development (EIIPD). The seminar, titled "Copenhagen Talks on Climate Change and Africa's Response," focused on strengthening a common African position regarding mitigation, adaptation, and compensation ahead of the Copenhagen climate negotiations.

This research paper examines the role of land tenure, migration, and competition for agricultural and pastoral land as structural and proximate causes of violent conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), specifically in the Kivu provinces and Ituri Territory. The authors argue that colonial-era dual property systems and post-colonial patrimonial rule under Mobutu transformed land from a communal social asset into a currency of political power and economic wealth, marginalizing rural populations and fueling ethnic tensions.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies assesses the political transition and disarmament initiatives in Burundi during 2004. It examines the structures established under the Arusha Peace and Reconciliation Agreement, the challenges of integrating rebel factions into a national army, and the role of international peacekeeping forces in facilitating a peaceful transition to elections.

This report chapter by Kees Kingma examines the processes and impacts of demobilising military personnel in Africa, focusing on how the transition from military to civilian life affects peace, security, and human development.

This guide provides an overview of the International Criminal Court (ICC), detailing its legal foundations under the Rome Statute, its jurisdictional limits, its institutional structure, and its early investigations in Africa and elsewhere.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes projects aimed at preventing and countering violent extremism (P/CVE) in Central, East, and West Africa. It identifies critical gaps in funding duration, monitoring and evaluation (M&E) capacity, and the potential for P/CVE labeling to stigmatize target communities, while suggesting a shift toward longer-term funding and greater African state ownership.

This report, prepared by the Chairperson of the African Union Commission for a special session in Tripoli, provides a comprehensive overview of the challenges to peace and security in Africa. It details the institutional framework of the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA), the economic and human costs of conflict, and the status of various regional crises, including those in Somalia, Sudan, and the Great Lakes region. The document emphasizes the need for African ownership of peace efforts, the importance of structural conflict prevention, and the strengthening of partnerships with international bodies like the UN and EU.

This report documents a seminar held on 18 March 2009 by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) in Pretoria, focusing on the African Union's (AU) policy regarding unconstitutional changes of government (UCG) in Africa. The seminar, featuring presenters Issaka K. Souaré and Francis Ikome, evaluated the effectiveness of the Lomé Declaration and the AU's Constitutive Act in deterring military coups and other unconstitutional power shifts, while proposing reforms to create a 'New African Governance Architecture' (NAGA).

This report examines the political opportunities and challenges facing President Felix Tshisekedi in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) during his first year in office. It highlights the tension between Tshisekedi and former President Joseph Kabila, whose FCC coalition maintains a dominant majority in Parliament. The author argues that for Tshisekedi to succeed and secure a second term in 2023, he must shift the political balance, reform the CENI and Constitutional Court, and address dire socio-economic needs. The report also discusses the necessity of a regional approach to peace in the eastern DRC involving Rwanda, Uganda, and Burundi, and suggests that the international community can support transformational change by promoting transparency in the mining sector via IMF engagement.

This report chapter, authored by Martin Rupiya for the Institute for Security Studies, examines the impact of the HIV/AIDS pandemic on the militaries of Southern African nations. Based on empirical evidence from Botswana, Swaziland, Zambia, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe, the text identifies common trends in disease transmission, the failure of states to implement timely policies, and the specific challenges faced by defence forces regarding recruitment, operational effectiveness, and the social dynamics of testing.

This document consists of Annex VI and three Protocols of an agreement between the European Community and ACP (African, Caribbean, and Pacific) States. It defines the lists of least-developed, landlocked, and island ACP States, establishes rules for the operating expenditure and privileges of joint institutions, and outlines the qualified status of South Africa's participation in the agreement.

This report by Robert Mattes of the University of Cape Town uses Afrobarometer survey data from 18 African countries to compare experiences of crime and policing in South Africa with other nations on the continent. The analysis finds that while South Africa has high levels of insecurity and crime exposure, it is not exceptional in the African context. Furthermore, despite having superior physical and human capital, the South African Police Service (SAPS) often lags behind other African police forces in terms of public trust, legitimacy, and community relations.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the perceptions of South Sudanese refugees in Ethiopia and Uganda regarding the conflict in their home country and the IGAD-led peace process. Based on interviews conducted in July 2018, the document highlights a significant gap in communication between peace negotiators and refugee populations, widespread frustration with political leadership, and deep divisions over the future administrative structure of South Sudan.