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The AY4SF project seeks USD 25 million in GCF grants to enhance the climate resilience of rural communities in Zimbabwe's Midlands, Matabeleland North, and Matabeleland South provinces. Targeting 240,055 direct beneficiaries, including nearly 80,000 adolescents and youth (aged 15-35), the initiative focuses on implementing Local Adaptation Plans (LAPs) and Nature-based Solutions (NbS) to restore 56,750 hectares of land. The project integrates climate-resilient agriculture, livestock, and forestry value chains with business incubation and digital agritech to create sustainable green employment and reduce the vulnerability of youth to climatic shocks.

The report analyzes the competition between China and Western powers (US and EU) for Africa's critical minerals, specifically focusing on the Lobito and TAZARA corridors. It argues that African nations can avoid 'extractivism' by coordinating regional processing hubs and leveraging the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to build a domestic e-mobility value chain.

The report examines the transition from 'localized' to 'locally led' anticipatory action within the IFRC Network. It identifies that while the network's global reach and National Societies are significant strengths, progress is hindered by political factors, centralized decision-making, and donor risk aversion. The document argues that scaling locally led action requires navigating trade-offs between global standardization and local autonomy, advocating for more flexible, long-term funding and the integration of indigenous knowledge into technical forecasting models.

The document highlights Africa's strategic position as the holder of over 30% of the world's critical mineral reserves, essential for the global transition to renewable energy. It warns that without regional coordination, African nations risk remaining locked into raw materials extraction while major economies like the US, EU, and China compete for access. The authors advocate for the implementation of the Africa Green Minerals Strategy (AGMS) through a coordinated diplomatic framework and a continental task force to enhance negotiation power and promote regional value chains.

The assessment examines how patriarchal norms, limited resource access, and climate change intersect to increase the vulnerability of women, adolescents, and youth in rural Zimbabwe. It identifies systemic barriers to green jobs and climate resilience, including time poverty due to unpaid care work, limited land ownership, and high rates of gender-based violence. The report concludes with a framework to mitigate GESI risks and ensure equitable access to project benefits.

The report analyzes governance and democracy across seven Southern African nations, highlighting a gap between policy frameworks and actual implementation. It emphasizes the critical role of civil society organizations (CSOs) as intermediaries and the necessity of freedom of expression for national stability, while noting that CSOs face increasing political and financial threats.

The report argues that tax incentives for critical mineral value addition are secondary to primary non-tax enablers such as infrastructure, regulatory stability, and clear national strategies. It analyzes the value chains of copper, lithium, and nickel, noting that while production-based, cost-based, and profit-based tax incentives can attract investment, they risk revenue loss if projects are not commercially viable. The document highlights varied national approaches, such as Indonesia's nickel export bans and Australia's production tax credits, and recommends rigorous financial modelling to ensure that downstream incentives do not result in a net loss of government revenue compared to raw ore exports.

The report argues that fiscal incentives are secondary to 'primary' non-fiscal conditions—such as stable regulatory frameworks, reliable energy and transport infrastructure, and clear national strategies—which are essential for the commercial viability of mineral processing. Using case studies from countries like Indonesia, Australia, and Zambia, it examines tools such as variable royalty rates, investment tax credits, and export restrictions. It warns that without rigorous economic modelling, policies like export bans or tax holidays can lead to significant revenue losses, deterred investment, or the support of commercially unviable projects.

The briefing paper advocates for a legally binding international instrument to end corporate impunity regarding environmental and human rights abuses. It highlights the insufficiency of voluntary frameworks and argues that the LBI can operationalize the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment by establishing mandatory due diligence, extraterritorial jurisdiction, and strict liability for parent companies across global value chains.

The report examines governance in Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe, highlighting a systemic gap between the adoption of policy frameworks and their actual implementation. It identifies executive dominance as a primary barrier to the separation of powers and notes that corruption and structural inequality continue to undermine economic development. Environmentally, the report emphasizes that while Africa contributes the least to global emissions, it remains the most vulnerable region to climate change, with poor environmental practices and inadequate policy coordination exacerbating the crisis. The author argues that empowering civil society and youth is essential for building state resilience and achieving sustainable development.

The report examines the role of intellectual property rights (IPR) in accelerating the adoption and development of green technologies across Africa. It highlights that while patents are often prohibitively expensive for African innovators, non-patent mechanisms like utility models, trademarks, and geographical indications (GIs) offer more accessible pathways for incremental innovation and market growth. The document analyzes the IPR landscapes of Kenya, Ghana, and Nigeria, noting that while these countries are emerging as greentech hubs, their legal frameworks often lack explicit provisions for green technology. It further discusses the influence of global agreements like the Paris Agreement and TRIPS, and regional initiatives such as the AfCFTA, arguing that harmonizing IPR systems and reducing registration costs are critical to unlocking Africa's potential in the global green economy.

A Global Witness investigation reveals that 17 of the world's least developed countries and largest US aid recipients have signed lobbying contracts worth over $21 million since November 2024. The report highlights a trend where nations facing humanitarian crises and aid freezes—such as Pakistan, the DRC, and Somalia—are bartering preferential access to critical minerals, oil, gas, and strategic ports for US political or military assistance. Many of these deals involve firms and individuals closely linked to Donald Trump's inner circle, creating a transactional 'America First' dynamic that Global Witness argues risks resource exploitation in fragile, conflict-affected states.

The report argues that allowing African exporters to use Article 6 carbon credits to reduce their EU CBAM liabilities would address equity concerns, retain climate finance within Africa, and provide policy flexibility. It notes that current CBAM regulations only permit deductions for explicit carbon prices (taxes or ETS), making Article 6 credits ineligible. The document highlights the significant economic risks CBAM poses to African GDP and the specific challenges African nations face in implementing traditional carbon pricing due to their emissions profiles and administrative constraints. It concludes with recommendations for the EU to amend its regulations to include high-integrity international credits, specifically those from Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Africa, to align with the principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC).

The fact sheet examines how loopholes in the international tax system allow multinational corporations (MNCs) and the super-rich to avoid taxes, resulting in an estimated US$492 billion in global revenue losses for governments in 2024. It critiques the OECD/G20 Two-Pillar Solution for favoring developed nations and lacking transparency, while advocating for the 'Taxing the Super Rich' initiative and the establishment of a UN Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation to ensure more democratic and progressive global taxation.

The document asserts that global hunger is caused by a profit-driven system rather than food scarcity, highlighting the role of the 'ABCD firms' and financial speculators in driving up prices. It links food systems to 34% of global greenhouse gas emissions and notes the severe impact of climate-driven droughts in Southern Africa. While acknowledging previous G20 efforts, it criticizes the lack of systemic reforms, such as regulating food speculation or implementing buffer stocks. Under its G20 presidency, South Africa has established a Food Security Task Force to study commodity price volatility and stabilization techniques.

The document argues that G20 climate finance often prioritizes private profit over public welfare, trapping vulnerable nations in debt through loan-based funding and 'de-risking' strategies. It calls for a shift toward grant-based funding and public investment based on the 'polluter pays' principle to ensure a just energy transition.

Zimbabwe is characterized by a deep crisis of confidence and a trust deficit in its leadership and institutions. The ZANU-PF government prioritizes short-term survival and power retention over structural reforms, utilizing a system of patronage and 'lawfare' to neutralize political opposition and civil society organizations (CSOs). Economically, the country suffers from extreme poverty, hyperinflation, and a volatile currency environment, exemplified by the introduction of the gold-backed ZiG. While the government pursues a 'constructive re-engagement' agenda with international creditors and Western powers, the report suggests that these efforts may be deflection tactics rather than genuine commitments to democratic reform. State capacity is hampered by the conflation of party and state interests, and the opposition remains fragmented and ineffective.

The essay examines the rise of Captain Ibrahim Traoré in Burkina Faso, analyzing the socio-political drivers of his popularity—such as the 'youth bulge', failure of previous civilian regimes, and the threat of violent religious extremism—against the actual outcomes of his rule. The author contends that military governance is fundamentally unsuitable for state administration and that under Traoré, Burkina Faso has seen a decline in security, a shrinking of civic space, and an increase in human rights violations. The text further questions the efficacy of shifting foreign alliances from France to Russia, noting that terrorism-related fatalities remain high despite the deployment of the Russian Africa Corps.

The document analyzes the effects of Executive Order 14257, which introduced a 10% universal tariff and higher country-specific tariffs (11% to 50%) on imports to the U.S. While mineral-exporting nations may find relief through exemptions for critical minerals, countries like Lesotho and Madagascar face severe economic risks, particularly in textiles. The authors discuss the precarious future of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and advocate for a coordinated continental strategy via the African Union and the African Continental Free Trade Area to mitigate these trade disruptions.

The paper examines how the geopolitical contest between the US and China over critical minerals creates a strategic window for African countries to diversify investors and build domestic green value chains.