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The report argues that mine action in Southern Africa should transition from being treated as a technical 'special initiative' to a core development activity. It recommends that national governments take greater political ownership, establish clear communication frameworks with donors, and utilize local technical expertise. The author emphasizes the need for socio-economic impact assessments to prioritize resources and suggests that the Southern African Development Community (SADC) play a more prominent political role in international forums to secure continued support for the region.

A budget vote speech delivered by the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, to the National Assembly on 31 May 2011. The speech outlines South Africa's foreign policy priorities, its role in regional and global governance, and the operational goals of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO).

This case study examines the Walvis Bay Corridor Group (WBCG), a hybrid public-private partnership established in 2000 to facilitate trade and infrastructure development in Namibia and neighboring SADC countries. The WBCG coordinates a network of roads and rail—including the Trans-Kalahari, Trans-Caprivi, Trans-Cunene, and Trans-Oranje corridors—to connect the Port of Walvis Bay and the Port of Lüderitz to landlocked markets.

This case study, produced by the SADC Secretariat and GIZ, examines the business constraints faced by Rice Milling Company (Pvt.) Limited (RMC), a Malawi-based firm that processes rice, milk powder, and salt for local and regional markets. The document details how government regulations, infrastructure deficiencies, and skill shortages hinder RMC's export capabilities and operational efficiency within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.

Russia maintains ties with Mozambique and Zimbabwe based on Soviet-era liberation movement relations, focusing on education, mining, and military cooperation. Zimbabwe's alignment increased during the late Mugabe era due to shared experiences with Western sanctions, while Mozambique has seen Russian involvement in fisheries, oil, and a failed intervention by the Wagner Group against Islamist insurgents.

The South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) critiques the draft Promotion and Protection of Investment Bill 2013, arguing that while it seeks to create regulatory space for socio-economic transformation, several provisions deviate from international standards. Key concerns include the subjective nature of 'public interest' and 'just and equitable' compensation for expropriation, the lack of clarity in investment screening processes, and the potential for 'denial of justice' due to the bill's subordination of customary international law to the South African Constitution. SAIIA suggests that these ambiguities may undermine foreign investor confidence, particularly following South Africa's decision to terminate bilateral investment treaties (BITs).

Remarks delivered on July 8, 2021, by the APRM Secretariat on behalf of the Country Coordination Unit for Zimbabwe during the Zimbabwe APRM Popular Sensitisation (ZAPS) Civil Society Validation Workshop. The text emphasizes the critical role of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) process to enhance accountability and influence governance policies in Zimbabwe.

In this address, Ebrahim Ebrahim discusses the evolving nature of global conflict, noting that climate change and resource scarcity are increasing tensions. He argues that Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development (PCRD) is often under-resourced and suggests that lasting peace requires sustained security, broad-based social participation, and home-grown solutions. He highlights South Africa's commitment to peace support through the African Union and SADC, and advocates for South-South cooperation via the G77 plus China to secure the financial resources and technology transfer necessary for effective PCRD.

The report examines the systemic and internal obstacles facing opposition political parties in southern Africa, highlighting how dominant-party systems, state repression, and internal fragmentation undermine democratic accountability. It analyzes specific country cases—including Botswana, Zambia, Namibia, Lesotho, Mozambique, South Africa, Mauritius, Swaziland, and Zimbabwe—to illustrate the 'politics of incumbency' and the critical need for opposition parties to engage with civil society and reform internal governance to achieve democratic consolidation.

The report examines the economic relationship between South Africa and Zimbabwe, highlighting that while strong business ties persist, South African firms face significant operational hurdles. These include hyperinflation, foreign currency shortages, erratic government policy, and a shrinking domestic market. The document also notes the impact of 'quiet diplomacy' by the South African government and the resulting exposure of companies due to the lack of a signed trade and investment protection agreement.

The study identifies Zimbabwe's foreign exchange controls as the most costly non-tariff barrier (NTB) affecting bilateral trade between South Africa and Zimbabwe across multiple sectors. Other significant costs include administrative delays at the Beit Bridge border crossing and high freight costs resulting from a dysfunctional regional rail network. The paper also highlights congestion at Durban Port and specific sectoral barriers, such as South Africa's ban on second-hand vehicles traveling on its roads and two-stage conversion requirements for Zimbabwean textiles.

The author contends that the New Partnership for Africa's Development (Nepad) and the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) are being emasculated by a lack of political will among African leaders. Specifically, the paper highlights how the 'quiet diplomacy' of South African President Thabo Mbeki and other leaders toward Robert Mugabe's regime in Zimbabwe reflects a deeper commitment among National Liberation Movement (NLM) governments to protect one another from democratic turnover. The author asserts that this solidarity among former liberation movements contradicts the stated goals of good governance and democracy required to attract G7 financial support, thereby risking the overall success of the African renewal process.

The report examines Zimbabwe's stalled transition following the 2017 ousting of Robert Mugabe and the 2018 elections. It argues that while President Emmerson Mnangagwa has adopted an 'open for business' slogan, genuine international re-engagement is blocked by a profound deficit of trust, persistent economic instability, and a lack of substantive political reform. The document highlights the role of targeted sanctions, the influence of China, and the critical importance of national dialogue and legislative reform in restoring Zimbabwe's global standing.

The document lists ten financing programs providing grants, seed funding, and technical assistance for renewable energy technologies. These programs target various stages of business development, from R&D and pilots to scaling and commercial expansion, primarily within African nations and other low-income or developing regions. Funding amounts vary significantly, ranging from small grants of US $15,000 to large-scale transition grants of up to US $15 million.

This report argues that transforming gender relations in sub-Saharan African agriculture is essential for improving agricultural productivity, food security, and overall human development. It posits a causal link between gender equality in households and communities and better agricultural outcomes, asserting that standard development interventions cannot fully succeed unless women and men are on equal footing.

The text examines the barriers women face in accessing land in Sub-Saharan Africa, specifically the limitations of customary land tenure and 'gender-neutral' reforms. It highlights that direct land access improves household food security and provides essential collateral for credit. Through case studies in Kenya, Zimbabwe, and Zambia, the document demonstrates how legal reforms, grassroots activism, and community-level 'Watchdog Groups' can secure women's land rights, while emphasizing that legal changes must be accompanied by shifts in social norms and provision of agricultural inputs to be effective.

The document serves as a guide for designing agricultural development efforts that empower both women and men in Sub-Saharan Africa. It originated from a process initiated by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and the Swedish International Agricultural Network Initiative (SIANI) to move beyond the analysis of gender roles toward devising mechanisms for changing attitudes and roles to support food security, agricultural sector growth, and poverty alleviation. The report includes analytical frameworks and case studies covering topics such as land rights, value chains, household methodologies, and 'climate-smart' agriculture.

The report examines the energy-agriculture nexus in Africa, focusing on five case study countries: Cameroon, Mali, Sudan, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe. It develops three primary scenarios—Reference, Moderate Improvement, and Accelerated Growth—to project energy needs for on-farm activities, crop processing, and transport. The analysis highlights that while high-input mechanized farming significantly increases commercial energy intensity, food security gains in some contexts, such as Sudan, can be achieved without proportional increases in energy consumption. The document also explores the role of agro-industries and the potential for energy efficiency improvements in irrigation and crop curing.

The report examines how gender inequalities in sub-Saharan Africa hinder agricultural productivity and proposes an 'empowerment pathway' focusing on agency, structure, and relations. It provides evidence that closing the gender gap in resource access could increase farm yields by 20-30%. Through case studies in countries like Kenya, Zambia, Ethiopia, and Uganda, the document illustrates successful strategies including gender-responsive budgeting, household-level gender analysis, and the engagement of traditional leaders to secure women's land rights and improve value chain participation. It also addresses the specific intersection of gender and 'climate-smart' agriculture, emphasizing that women's vulnerability to climate change is exacerbated by existing structural inequalities.

The report analyzes how rigid gender norms, lack of capital, and limited asset ownership prevent women from benefiting from agricultural commercialization in Sub-Saharan Africa. It highlights that women often perform the bulk of the labor but lack control over the resulting income, which can lead to poor product quality and reduced household nutrition. The document provides a strategic framework for interventions, ranging from professionalizing traditional 'women's crops' to redistributive actions that challenge male-dominated chains. Case studies from Kenya (SHEP) and Zimbabwe (ZOPPA) demonstrate that combining gender awareness training with technical capacity building and organic certification can improve income parity and market access for women farmers.