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Conserving the Peace: Cooperative Approaches to Conservation, Livelihoods Generation and Disarmament
This report details the outcomes of a three-day workshop on 'Supporting Protected Areas in Times of Violent Conflict' held during the 5th IUCN World Parks Congress in Durban, South Africa, in September 2003. Co-organized by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) under a UNDP-supported initiative, the workshop focused on the bidirectional relationship between protected areas and violent conflict, identifying best practices for management during crises and the role of conservation in peace-building and post-conflict reconstruction.
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Document type: Report
The Landmine Factor in the Peacekeeping Debate in Africa
This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies examines the intersection of anti-personnel landmines and the development of peacekeeping standby forces in Africa. It analyzes the operational challenges posed by landmines in irregular African conflicts, the progress of the Ottawa Convention across the continent, and the specific legislative and policy frameworks adopted by South Africa and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to combat mine proliferation.
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Document type: Research paper
Coup d’état in São Tomé e Príncipe
This research paper analyzes the military coup in São Tomé e Príncipe on 16 July 2003, examining the interplay between domestic political instability, the grievances of the armed forces, and the influence of former mercenaries from the Buffalo Battalion, while assessing the role of potential oil wealth in the event and its resolution.
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Document type: Research paper
DOS BURACOS NAS ESTRADAS À PROSPERIDADE
This report, published by the South African Institute of International Affairs in October 2003, examines the critical state of transport, financial, and social infrastructure within the Southern African Development Community (SADC). It argues that poor management and political apathy, rather than just physical decay, hinder regional economic competitiveness and integration.
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Document type: Report
South Africa’s Defence Industry
This research paper examines the evolution of South Africa's defence industry from its growth during the apartheid era to its restructuring and reorientation toward global markets after 1994. It details the shift from state-driven self-sufficiency to a commercially focused model based on exports, international partnerships, and strategic procurement policies.
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Document type: Research paper
Memorandum on S. Tomé e Principe
A briefing by the Institute for Security Studies detailing the military coup in São Tomé e Principe on July 16, 2003, led by Major Fernando Pereira. The document outlines the immediate aftermath, the formation of a 'Military Junta for National Salvation', international reactions, and the internal political and military grievances that motivated the takeover.
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Document type: Briefing
Energy Security facts
This report by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) analyzes U.S. energy insecurity, focusing on the risks associated with oil dependence and the potential for energy efficiency to mitigate these threats. Using data primarily from the 2001 EIA Annual Energy Review, the document details the sources and uses of U.S. oil, the economic and security costs of dependence on OPEC and the Persian Gulf, and the technical potential for reducing oil consumption through vehicle efficiency and alternative fuels.
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Document type: Report
Money laundering in East and Southern Africa: An overview of the threat
This research paper provides an overview of money laundering threats within the East and Southern African Anti-Money Laundering Group (ESAAMLG) region. It examines the strategic importance of laundering for organised crime and corruption, identifies common typologies (internal, incoming, and outgoing), and details specific predicate crimes such as drug trafficking, armed robbery, and currency speculation. The document also analyzes the region's vulnerability as a destination for illicit funds due to offshore financial regimes and regulatory weaknesses.
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Document type: Research paper
SADC Barometer
The first issue of the SADC Barometer, published by the South African Institute of International Affairs in March 2003, evaluates the Southern African Development Community's (SADC) internal restructuring, regional security integration, and economic convergence. The report highlights significant disparities between South Africa and other member states, the impact of HIV/AIDS on food security, and the challenges of implementing a regional Free Trade Area (FTA) amidst non-tariff barriers and political instability in countries like Zimbabwe.
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Document type: Report
Small arms in Southern Africa
This report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in Southern Africa, focusing on the failures of disarmament and demobilisation in UN peacekeeping operations and the subsequent rise of illicit arms trafficking. It argues that the lack of effective weapons control during conflict resolution processes has fueled regional instability and criminal activity, while proposing a coordinated regional approach involving SADC, SARPCCO, and the OAU to manage stocks and reduce the culture of violence.
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Document type: Report
Building security in Southern Africa
This report by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the evolution of security architectures in Southern Africa, tracing the transition from the informal Front-Line States (FLS) alliance to the formal structures of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), specifically the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security, the Inter-State Defence and Security Committee (ISDSC), and the Southern African Police Chiefs Co-operation Organisation (SARPCCO).
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Document type: Report
POLICING FOR PROFIT: The future of South Africa's Private Security Industry
This research paper examines the growth, structure, and regulation of the private security industry in South Africa as of 1999. It analyzes the industry's shift toward performing functions traditionally reserved for the police, the resulting tensions regarding accountability and human rights, and the industry's expansion into other African nations.
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Document type: Research paper
‘RENAISSANCE PEACEKEEPING’ — A South African solution to conflict in the DRC?
This research paper by Mark Malan of the Institute for Security Studies examines South Africa's potential roles in resolving the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as of March 1999. It analyzes various scenarios—ranging from a firm peace agreement to the absence of a cease-fire—and proposes an unconventional 'Renaissance peacekeeping' model that co-opts belligerent statutory forces into a multinational operation.
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Document type: Research paper
Weapons Flows in Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Swaziland
This research paper introduces the 'Towards Collaborative Peace' (TCP) project by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), which examines the illegal trade of small arms and light weapons in Southern Africa. The document outlines the project's goal to analyze how the proliferation of weapons—resulting from conflict legacies and porous borders—contributes to a 'culture of violence' and undermines democratization and socio-economic development in the region.
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Document type: Research paper
Western Efforts to Develop African Peacekeeping
This research paper assesses Western efforts to develop African peacekeeping capabilities in the late 1990s, specifically focusing on the 'P-3 Initiative' (US, UK, and France) and Danish contributions. The authors argue that while these capacity-building programs provide tangible training and equipment, they are primarily driven by Western domestic political desires to avoid direct military or financial involvement in African conflicts. The document also details the institutional, financial, and operational limitations of African regional bodies like the OAU, SADC, and ECOWAS in managing peace and security independently.
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Document type: Research paper
Connecting Weapons With Violence: The South American Experience
This research paper introduces the 'Towards Collaborative Peace' (TCP) project by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), which examines the illegal trade of small arms and light weapons in Southern Africa and their role in fostering a 'culture of violence'. The project employs a south-south approach, comparing trends in Southern Africa with those in the southern part of South America, specifically within the Mercosur countries, to propose regional control mechanisms and local strategies for reversing violence.
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Document type: Research paper
ORGANISED CRIME IN POST-APARTHEID SOUTH AFRICA
This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies examines the growth of organised crime in South Africa following the transition to democracy in 1990. It analyzes the factors contributing to this growth, the nature of local and international syndicates, and the systemic weaknesses within the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the broader criminal justice system that hinder effective countermeasures.
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Document type: Research paper
DRUGS, VIOLENCE AND GOVERNABILITY IN THE FUTURE SOUTH AFRICA
This research paper examines the relationship between illicit drugs and violence in South Africa, applying the 'tripartite conceptual framework' to analyze psychopharmacological, economic compulsive, and systemic violence. It highlights South Africa's emergence as a major transit point for international drug trafficking and warns that the resulting systemic violence and corruption could undermine the state's governability.
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Document type: Research paper
TOWARDS THE FREE MOVEMENT OF PEOPLE IN SOUTHERN AFRICA?
This research paper by Hussein Solomon of the Institute for Security Studies analyses the transition from the 1995 Draft Protocol on the Free Movement of Persons to the 1997 Draft Protocol on the Facilitation of Movement of Persons within the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The author argues that the 1995 protocol was overly idealistic and failed to account for extreme economic disparities and security risks, whereas the 1997 protocol adopts a more realistic, incremental approach focused on bilateral agreements and the gradual elimination of obstacles.
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Document type: Research paper
SADC ORGAN ON POLITICS, DEFENCE AND SECURITY: FUTURE DEVELOPMENT
This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies evaluates the early development of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security. It argues that the Organ is currently underdeveloped, operating primarily at the summit level and through the military-focused Inter-State Defence and Security Committee (ISDSC), while lacking mechanisms for human rights and democratic governance. The authors propose a comprehensive structural overhaul, including the creation of a Political Co-operation Council, an Institute for Democracy and Human Rights, and a permanent multinational secretariat to move the Organ from a reactive 'fire brigade' role to a proactive regional security framework.
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Document type: Research paper