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The document identifies the primary threats to human security in Zimbabwe as a political impasse following the March 2008 elections and a severe economic collapse. It highlights the role of state control over the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, the impact of the Fast Track Land Resettlement Programme on political polarization, and hyperinflation exceeding 100,000% in January 2008. While noting a lack of open ethnic conflict, it observes that racial and ethnic prejudices are often mobilized for political gain during periods of turbulence.

The document serves as a basic profile of Zimbabwe, covering its physical and demographic data, its transition to a semi-presidential consociationalist republic under a 2008 power-sharing agreement, and a history of human rights challenges including state violence and the effects of land reform.

The document examines the evolution of environmental security, critiquing 'statist' models that view environmental scarcity primarily as a threat to the state. It proposes a 'human security' framework, specifically applying a Sustainable Livelihoods approach to understand how land access and tenure systems in Africa influence poverty and conflict. The author highlights that in southern Africa, colonial legacies of land dispossession and current 'opportunistic land grabbing' by elites exacerbate insecurity. The paper concludes that sustainable security requires moving beyond technical fixes to address the underlying power imbalances, governance failures, and social injustices that drive environmental and human insecurity.

The report examines Angola's transition from a war-torn state to a market economy, focusing on the critical role of land tenure. It traces the evolution of land laws from the Portuguese colonial era through the socialist post-independence period to the 2004 Land Act. The author highlights a systemic pattern of 'land grabbing' by political and military elites, the marginalisation of rural peasants and women, and the precarious legal status of peri-urban dwellers. It argues that without transparent, inclusive land administration and the recognition of customary rights, the current legislative trajectory risks exacerbating inequality and triggering new conflicts.

The document details the career of Salim Ahmed Salim, a Tanzanian diplomat who played a central role in the decolonisation of Africa and the fight against apartheid. It examines his strategic work within the UN Special Committee on Decolonization, his efforts to secure material support for liberation movements, and his tenure as Secretary-General of the OAU (1989–2001). The text highlights his contributions to the institutional transformation of the OAU into the African Union, his advocacy for 'non-indifference' in the face of genocide and war crimes, and his work in conflict resolution in regions such as Darfur and the Great Lakes.

The author argues that the South African Army's current force design, based on a 'core force' approach and non-offensive posture from the late 1990s, is inadequate for the realities of 'war among the people'. The analysis highlights the rise of China's influence in Africa, the failure of multilateral institutions, and the necessity of shifting toward intelligence-led, psychological operations to avoid the failures seen in peacekeeping missions like Srebrenica. Locally, the army faces challenges from an ageing force structure, loss of key skills, and the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

The report examines how insecure land access and the manipulation of land rights contribute to poverty and violent conflict in Sub-Saharan Africa. It highlights the tension between customary and statutory tenure systems and warns that land is often used as a 'resource of conflict' by elites to consolidate power and enforce ethnic divisions. The authors argue for the importance of local governance and field-based empirical research in developing effective land policies and reconciliation efforts.

The document provides a historical analysis of the military forces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, beginning with the Force Publique under King Léopold II and continuing through the Zairian Armed Forces (FAZ) under President Mobutu. It details the systemic politicisation, tribalisation, and de-professionalisation of the army during the Mobutu era, which led to a breakdown in civil-military relations. The text further examines the conflicts involving the AFDL and the 'First African World War,' culminating in the Inter-Congolese Dialogue and the subsequent efforts to integrate government and rebel forces into a restructured, apolitical national army under the 2003 constitution.

The report examines how land tenure insecurity, scarcity, and the tension between customary and statutory legal systems contribute to both the structural and proximate causes of conflict in Africa. It argues that poverty and the loss of livelihoods are central to the conflict-underdevelopment cycle, and that land often serves as a tool for political struggle among elites or a source of ethnic mobilisation. Through case studies of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, and Angola, the text highlights the risks of 'formalising' land rights without considering local customs and the importance of multi-sectoral, pro-poor land policies in post-conflict reconstruction.

The document examines how corruption in the oil, gas, and mining sectors in Africa leads to significant wealth loss through illicit financial flows, tax avoidance, and transfer pricing. It identifies a lack of state capacity, bureaucratic discretion, and political will as primary drivers of these failures. While various international and regional initiatives exist, the author argues they are often ineffective due to low administrative capacity and a focus on 'grand' corruption over systemic issues. The paper highlights Botswana as a successful model of natural resource governance and provides twelve recommendations for technical and institutional capacity building to combat corruption.

The document explores the tension between formal 'due process' and substantive justice, arguing that criminal law is often a tool for political and economic power rather than a neutral instrument. It contrasts consensus-functionalist and radical-conflict paradigms of law and evaluates the impact of colonial legacies on the current state of criminal justice in Africa, where corruption and repression remain prevalent.

The document argues that while HIV/AIDS creates significant humanitarian challenges for children in Southern Africa, the predicted link between orphaning and widespread social instability is speculative. It highlights the resilience of traditional extended family and community safety nets, while noting that poverty is a more primary driver of vulnerability than orphanhood alone. The authors advocate for a shift from needs-based to rights-based interventions that strengthen family-based care and provide psychosocial support to prevent long-term trauma.

The report provides a baseline study of security sector governance (SSG) across six Southern African nations and the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation. It finds that while legal frameworks for civilian control often exist, implementation is hindered by political interference, corruption, and capacity shortages. Key issues include the politicisation of security forces in Zimbabwe and the DRC, poor prison conditions across the region, and weak parliamentary oversight. The document argues for a shift toward a human security paradigm and the strengthening of independent oversight mechanisms and civil society engagement to ensure accountable security provision.

The report examines the theft of gold and platinum group metals (PGMs) in South Africa between 1994 and 1999. It highlights a significant gap between detected recoveries and estimated undetected losses, particularly for gold, where undetected theft is estimated at 35 tons per year. The document details the hierarchical structure of criminal syndicates, the challenges faced by the South African Police Service (SAPS) Diamond and Gold Branch—including resource shortages and corruption—and the economic threat to the mining industry's profitability and employment.

The report examines the recruitment and deployment of Gurkhas by private security firms in Africa, highlighting a shift from traditional mercenary activity to a broader range of security services. It details the operations of Gurkha Security Guards (GSG), including its work for Lonrho in Mozambique and its controversial training contract in Sierra Leone, as well as the activities of Defence Systems Limited (DSL). The text notes that while Gurkhas are marketed as disciplined and cost-effective, their use has faced resentment in countries like Angola due to a lack of workforce indigenisation. The document concludes that the market for expatriate Gurkha security is declining in favor of joint ventures with local partners.

A statement submitted on 13 December 2024 by a coalition of civil society organizations, including Natural Justice and SAFCEI, providing critical comments on South Africa's Draft Article 6 Framework. The coalition argues that carbon markets are fundamentally flawed and risk enabling human rights abuses, land grabs, and the evasion of actual emission reductions.

The Community Protocols Toolbox is a guide designed for NGOs and civil society to support local communities in documenting their identity, customary laws, and development priorities. It emphasizes a participatory, community-led process to enable meaningful engagement and free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) when facing industrial investment projects. The toolbox includes practical methodologies—textual, visual, verbal, and dramatic—to map territories, analyze power dynamics, and navigate legal landscapes across national and international frameworks.

Between 2022 and 2024, the African Environmental Defenders Initiative documented 232 non-lethal attacks against environmental defenders, with 67% occurring in East Africa. Uganda was the most affected country, accounting for 42% of cases, largely driven by opposition to the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP). The report identifies government (34%) and multinational/investment companies (20%) as the primary perpetrators. Women defenders face specific gendered threats, including the withholding of sanitary products during detention and social stigmatization. The document also details country-specific conflicts, such as conservation-linked violence in Kenya, industrial mining in the DRC, and illegal logging in Madagascar, while highlighting the role of the African Environmental Defenders Fund in providing emergency legal and psychosocial support.

The Access and Benefit-sharing (ABS) Toolkit by Natural Justice is a guide for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities in Southern Africa to manage the use of their biological resources and Traditional Knowledge. It explains the ABS process, where users (industry or researchers) obtain consent from providers (communities) to use resources in exchange for monetary or non-monetary benefits. The document emphasizes the use of Biocultural Community Protocols (BCPs) to establish community rules and rights, and details the legal frameworks governing these processes, including the international Nagoya Protocol and South Africa's National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act (NEMBA). It also addresses the role of intellectual property rights, the importance of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), and the necessity of sustainable resource stewardship to prevent biopiracy and biodiversity loss.

The report details the findings of a 16-month community environmental audit in Penhalonga, Zimbabwe, conducted between 2017 and 2018. It identifies significant legal and environmental violations by two gold mining companies: Redwing Mine, which is linked to air pollution from tailings dumps, water pollution from sewage and chemical runoff, and labor rights violations; and DTZ-OZGEO, which caused extensive degradation of the Mutare River, land abandonment, and cultural desecration. The document also notes a lack of transparency regarding new diamond mining prospects by the Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC) and proposes specific environmental and social remedies.