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A statement by African civil society organizations urging African States Parties to the Rome Statute to maintain their commitment to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and reject an African Union (AU) decision to withhold cooperation in the arrest of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir.

This research paper by Nicole Fritz for the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) analyzes the 2008 campaign by southern African civil society to block the MV 'An Yue Jiang', a Chinese vessel attempting to deliver arms to the Zimbabwe Defence Force. The author examines the legal strategies, regional coordination, and geopolitical factors that led to the ship's failure to deliver its cargo, ultimately returning to China.

This case study describes how coordinated civil society actions across Southern Africa successfully blocked a shipment of weapons destined for Zimbabwe following controversial elections.

This research paper argues that the Southern African Development Community (SADC) has failed to practically demonstrate the principle of "African solutions for African problems" by not providing sufficient financial support for Zimbabwe's Short-Term Economic Recovery Plan (STERP). While SADC facilitated the Global Political Agreement (GPA) and the subsequent unity government, the author contends that the regional body's reliance on lobbying international donors, rather than committing its own tangible resources, undermines the credibility of the regional recovery effort.

This research paper analyzes the potential impact of Jacob Zuma's presidency on South Africa's foreign policy and its relationship with the African continent, arguing that continuity is more likely than dramatic change due to the overarching influence of the African National Congress (ANC).

This chapter of a 2009 report examines Zambia's engagement with regional and international treaties, protocols, and organizations focused on crime, security, and law enforcement. It highlights a gap between the signing and ratification of these instruments and emphasizes the need for better domestic implementation to ensure legal enforceability.

This trainer's guide, published by the Institute for Security Studies in April 2009, provides a comprehensive training framework for the SARPCCO Generic United Nations Police Officers Course (UNPOC). Based on the UN's Standardised Generic Training Modules (SGTM) Level I, the document is designed to prepare police officers for deployment in peace support operations under the auspices of the United Nations (UN) and the African Union (AU). It covers a wide array of topics including the history and functions of INTERPOL and SARPCCO, the legal frameworks of the UN and AU, conduct and discipline, human rights, safety awareness, and operational techniques such as radio communication and report writing. The guide includes pedagogical tools for trainers, such as lesson plans, case studies, and a detailed field exercise called 'Furugo Kali' to simulate real-world peacekeeping scenarios.

This research paper by Steven Gruzd of the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) evaluates the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), examining its institutional origins, its relationship with the African Union (AU) and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (Nepad), and its achievements in promoting good governance across Africa.

This research paper by Steven Gruzd evaluates the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), analyzing its origins within the African Union (AU) and the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), its institutional challenges, and its impact on governance across the African continent as of April 2009.

This research paper examines the institutional, structural, and domestic challenges facing South Africa's foreign policy following its tenure on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). It analyzes the tension between South Africa's desire for UN reform and its perceived failures regarding human rights, while noting a shift toward more moderate diplomatic ambitions and a prioritization of domestic economic stability over global influence.

This research paper by Paul Hoffman examines the role of accountability in making constitutionalism a reality, specifically within the context of post-liberation African societies. Using South Africa as a primary case study, the author evaluates the effectiveness of constitutional frameworks in limiting government power, maintaining domestic legitimacy, and protecting human rights.

This research paper by Paul Hoffman, published by the South African Institute of International Affairs in March 2009, examines the role of accountability in making constitutionalism a reality in Africa. Using South Africa as a primary case study, the author argues that while constitutional structures may exist on paper, the actual practice of democracy is often undermined by power struggles among elites, corruption, and the erosion of independent oversight institutions.

This research paper by Yarik Turianskyi of the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) analyzes common political governance issues in six African states—Ghana, Rwanda, Kenya, Algeria, South Africa, and Benin—based on their first National Review Reports (NRR) from the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM). The author argues that there is a significant gap between constitutional intentions and practical reality, primarily due to a lack of 'constitutionalism,' which allows the executive branch to dominate the legislative and judicial branches.

This research paper argues that Zimbabwe adopting the South African Rand or joining the Common Monetary Area (CMA) would be economically unviable and politically unacceptable, potentially undermining the credibility of the CMA due to Zimbabwe's foreign reserve crisis.

This research paper evaluates the SADC-brokered Global Political Agreement aimed at resolving the political and economic crisis in Zimbabwe. While the author praises the comprehensive nature of the diplomatic solution and the leadership of Thabo Mbeki, the paper argues that the process was too slow, allowing the country to suffer extreme economic collapse and humanitarian distress before a resolution was reached.

This seminar report, based on a session held in Addis Ababa on January 20, 2009, uses the Ghanaian experience to examine whether elections can resolve political contests in the absence of political compromise. The seminar concludes that elections are not isolated events but are embedded within a broader political culture and body polity, meaning their effectiveness in conflict prevention depends on the surrounding political context.

This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the economic and political outlook for Africa in 2009, highlighting the risks posed by the global banking crisis, commodity price volatility, and precarious democratic transitions.

This research paper argues that underdevelopment in Sub-Saharan Africa is driven by a structural power imbalance where political elites use state control to extract savings from the private sector—primarily peasants and multinational corporations—diverting these resources toward elite consumption and state repression rather than productive investment.

This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies examines the evolution of France's relations with Africa, analyzing the transition from the traditional 'Françafrique' system of personalized power and influence toward a more multilateral, transparent partnership. It evaluates the tensions between official rhetoric of rupture—such as the 'doctrine de la Baule' and President Nicolas Sarkozy's promises—and the persistence of old habits, including the support of authoritarian regimes and the reduction of development aid.

This 2008 briefing outlines South Africa's objectives for the 63rd UN General Assembly, emphasizing the 'African Agenda,' the mid-term review of the Millennium Development Goals, and the promotion of South-South cooperation via partnerships like IBSA. It highlights the use of the 2010 FIFA World Cup as a development milestone and South Africa's push to democratize the UN by increasing the powers of the General Assembly.