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The report identifies cultural, structural, and workplace barriers that marginalise women in the male-dominated maritime sector in Africa. It highlights a critical lack of gender-disaggregated data and the phenomenon of 'sea blindness' as obstacles to visibility and recruitment. Using South Africa as a primary case study, the report suggests that the United Nations' Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda can provide a framework for improving women's inclusion. Key recommendations include launching public awareness campaigns, implementing gender-sensitive budgeting, and creating mentorship programmes to bridge the gender gap.

The document examines the African Peer Review Mechanism's (APRM) drive for universal membership, arguing that while a worthy goal, the organization must first address its backlog of 'slow states' and improve the implementation of National Programmes of Action (NPoAs). It highlights that 40 of 55 African states have joined, but many have failed to undergo first reviews or progress to second reviews. The authors warn that 'targeted reviews' may allow governments to avoid sensitive issues and suggest that the APRM adopt stricter measures, similar to the OGP or EITI, to handle inactive members.

The research analyzes 259 autocratic regimes from 1946 to 2008 to determine if the predictability of election dates influences regime durability. The author posits that regular election cycles create focal points for dissident collective action and prevent incumbents from 'surfing' favorable political or economic conditions. Statistical analysis indicates that regimes with more regular electoral cycles have a significantly higher probability of failure. The study suggests that manipulating the electoral calendar—through snap elections or delays—serves as a survival strategy to stymie challengers and optimize the use of state violence.

A coalition of civil society organisations warns that the Covid-19 emergency increases the risk of corruption and supply chain failure in South Africa. They call for the government to involve civil society in monitoring, publish detailed expenditure reports for the R500-billion stimulus and Solidarity Fund, and utilize the Auditor General and the Special Investigating Unit to prevent the 'looting and capture' of emergency funds.

The toolkit outlines a strategic framework for governments to integrate the private sector into National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), emphasizing that private actors are not only sources of finance but also key implementers of adaptation options. It structures engagement across four elements: laying the groundwork, preparatory elements, implementation strategies, and reporting/monitoring. The document argues that early engagement is critical for sustainability and provides a business case for private sector participation based on risk management, new market opportunities, and regulatory compliance.

The document serves as a supplement to the UNFCCC technical guidelines, outlining how to integrate private companies and financiers into the four main elements of the NAP process. It argues that private sector involvement is critical for financing, implementation, and the overall sustainability of climate adaptation efforts. The guide details a step-by-step approach: analyzing the national context, establishing communication, creating enabling environments (addressing information, finance, and capacity gaps), and integrating private sector data into monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems. It emphasizes the importance of including MSMEs and women-led businesses to ensure gender-responsive and inclusive adaptation outcomes.

The document serves as a supplement to the UNFCCC Technical Guidelines for the NAP process, arguing that private sector involvement is essential for funding, implementation, and the overall sustainability of climate adaptation. It outlines a four-element framework—preparatory work, preparatory phase, implementation strategies, and monitoring/review—to integrate private companies and financiers into national strategies. The toolkit emphasizes the 'business case' for adaptation, highlighting risk management and new market opportunities as primary drivers for private sector participation, while stressing the need for gender-responsive approaches to ensure inclusive resilience.

Japan has provided over US$17.5 billion in public finance for 21 GW of coal power abroad since 2013, often justifying this by claiming to support "best available technologies" like ultra-supercritical plants. However, the document asserts that these plants are still too polluting to meet Paris Agreement goals and that Japan's withdrawal would not prevent the use of inferior technologies, as China and South Korea are also major funders. Furthermore, the briefing notes that Japanese-funded overseas projects often use inferior emission controls compared to domestic standards and that coal is increasingly an unsafe investment compared to cheaper solar and wind power.

The analysis finds that while FDI in the SADC region is heavily driven by natural resource endowments and GDP, secondary activities (manufacturing and construction) are the primary drivers of job creation and inclusive growth. The paper highlights a mismatch between export potential and FDI in sectors like aquaculture and meat, while identifying strong growth opportunities in agro-processing and a potential revival in textiles driven by sustainable sourcing. It concludes that while services are growing, they provide significantly fewer jobs than industrial activities, validating the SISR's focus on industrialisation.

The report assesses Zimbabwe's young and dynamic fintech ecosystem, which is currently dominated by digital payments and remittances. While mobile money has significantly increased financial access, the sector faces substantial hurdles, including a lack of early-stage funding, a risk-averse regulatory environment, and a near-monopoly by Econet/EcoCash. The document provides a comprehensive SWOT and PESTEL analysis and offers short, medium, and long-term recommendations to foster a more collaborative, innovative, and inclusive digital financial system.

South Africa introduced a carbon tax in 2019 to meet greenhouse gas emission reduction targets of 34% by 2020 and 42% by 2025. The policy primarily targets the energy sector, which is responsible for approximately 80% of the country's emissions due to a heavy reliance on coal. While the tax aims to incentivize a shift toward renewable energy, it faces challenges including potential conflicts with WTO non-discrimination principles, the risk of carbon leakage due to a lack of border price adjustments, and negative socio-economic impacts such as increased consumer prices and potential job losses in energy-intensive industries like mining and steel. The document argues for a balanced approach that includes worker re-skilling, targeted incentives for renewables, and regional coordination through agreements like the AfCFTA to prevent protectionism and ensure a just transition.

The document examines the role of public-private partnerships (PPPs) in developing infrastructure in the SADC region, distinguishing them from privatisation and highlighting their potential to overcome budget constraints and technical inefficiencies. It identifies key barriers to PPP uptake in SADC, including political interference, lack of administrative maturity, and the risks of hidden debt through government guarantees. The briefing recommends the establishment of independent PPP units, improved public engagement protocols, and rigorous due diligence on partners to ensure sustainable project delivery.

The document is a formal reporting form detailing the environmental and social safeguards (ESS) compliance for a UNDP-led project in Zimbabwe. It classifies the project as Category B and confirms the disclosure of an Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF), which includes the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) and the Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP).

The document argues that the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process is uniquely suited to support peacebuilding in fragile states because its long-term, holistic, and participatory nature aligns with the timelines and goals of conflict recovery. It highlights that climate risks and conflict often share drivers, such as poverty and weak governance, and that failure to adapt can exacerbate resource competition. The briefing provides examples of countries like Sudan, Burkina Faso, and Palestine that have integrated conflict dynamics into their NAPs, while noting ongoing challenges such as the lack of climate data in conflict zones and the exclusion of refugees from planning processes.

The document argues that for fragile states, climate change and conflict often share drivers and mutually reinforce each other, making the integration of adaptation planning and peacebuilding essential. It highlights how the NAP process, through its long-term, holistic, and participatory nature, can serve as a platform for conflict prevention and trust-building. The text provides examples from countries like Sudan, Burkina Faso, and Palestine where climate adaptation is used to mitigate resource-based conflicts or where active conflict severely hinders adaptation capacity. It concludes by identifying key challenges, including the need for transboundary planning and the inclusion of marginalized populations like refugees.

The report analyzes the services sector's role in African development and the implications of the AfCFTA. It identifies Egypt, Morocco, South Africa, Ghana, and Nigeria as the continent's largest services exporters. The study highlights a significant gap in comprehensive services trade data, particularly for Mode 3 (commercial presence), and recommends implementing the 2010 Manual on Statistics of International Trade in Services. For South Africa, the report finds that services value added in gross exports is more than double the share of services exports, emphasizing the sector's role as an input for manufacturing. It argues for a developmental trade strategy that integrates services with industrial policy and warns against premature deindustrialization.

The G20 Compact with Africa (CwA) offers a framework for macroeconomic, business, and financial reforms to attract foreign direct investment (FDI), but Zimbabwe has failed to engage with it. Despite the alignment between CwA goals and Zimbabwe's Transitional Stabilisation Programme (TSP), the country is hindered by a lack of genuine reform culture, significant multilateral debt arrears, and a preference for bilateral infrastructure funding from China. Furthermore, there is a profound lack of awareness of the CwA among Zimbabwean policymakers and private sector stakeholders.

The report concludes that the Batang Toru hydroelectric project is an unnecessary endeavor that threatens the Tapanuli orangutan with extinction. It finds that North Sumatra already has a power surplus and that planned gas, geothermal, and other hydroelectric projects render Batang Toru's peak and baseload power redundant. Furthermore, the report argues that the project's claims regarding CO2 emission reductions and balance of payments relief are significantly inflated or incorrect, while highlighting the operational risks associated with the contractor, Sinohydro.

The document examines the intersection of gender, corruption, and natural resource management (NRM), asserting that corruption disproportionately affects marginalized groups and that gender-informed strategies can enhance accountability. It provides evidence that women's participation in forestry and fisheries management in India and Nepal leads to better conservation results. The briefing highlights gendered differences in corruption, noting that while men often dominate high-level grand corruption, women are more vulnerable to sexual extortion and bribery for public services. It presents practical examples of gender mainstreaming, such as the Akashinga all-female anti-poaching units in Zimbabwe and the Hariyo Ban Program in Nepal, and provides a framework of core questions and principles for practitioners to integrate gender analysis into policy design.

The document argues that Zimbabwe's reliance on resource-backed loans and a lack of transparency in the extractives sector have fueled illicit financial flows and widened inequality. It highlights that while mining is a cornerstone of the economy, benefits fail to reach the poor because revenues are diverted to debt servicing and lost to corruption. The study recommends that Zimbabwe join the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) and embed tax justice into its governance models to protect national resources and improve social spending.