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This monograph examines disarmament as a key component of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) efforts within African peacekeeping operations. It highlights the necessity of sub-regional contexts in peace efforts, using the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) as an example of regional insecurity. The text notes that while disarmament has been attempted in countries like Angola, Mozambique, and Liberia with varying success, Sierra Leone represents a recent successful conclusion of such a programme.

This research paper by Jakkie Cilliers discusses the establishment of the SADC Organ for Defence, Politics and Security, arguing that regional economic growth and development are dependent on peace, stability, and a transition toward democracy.

This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies examines the stalemate in Zimbabwe's constitution-drafting process under the Global Political Agreement (GPA), the role of SADC mediation led by South African President Jacob Zuma, and the potential political scenarios surrounding the expected June 2013 elections.

This monograph, edited by Cheryl Hendricks and published by the Institute for Security Studies, presents a collection of think pieces from a December 2005 workshop in Cape Town. It examines the transition from a state-centric security paradigm to a human security approach in Southern Africa, analyzing the conceptual challenges, the role of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), and the persistent gap between policy frameworks and the actual lived experiences of citizens.

A statement by the Institute for Security Studies arguing that African nations must prevent the adoption of a new Protocol to the Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW) that would weaken the existing 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM).

The report evaluates the AU Peace and Security Council's efforts in conflict resolution and regional stability, highlighting failures in Sudan's mediation due to biased mediator selection and a lack of political focus. It examines the limitations of PSC field missions, the rising death toll of humanitarian workers in Africa, and the role of illegal natural resource exploitation in funding armed groups. Finally, it discusses the need for greater African agency and strategic coordination in infrastructure and security partnerships with China through FOCAC.

The Peace and Security Council Report No 176 analyzes the outcomes of the 38th AU Summit in February 2025, focusing on leadership transitions, the chairship of Angola, and the ongoing challenges of the 'Silencing the Guns' agenda. It highlights the election of Mahamoud Ali Youssouf as AUC chair and the debate over rotational versus permanent membership in the AU Peace and Security Council (PSC).

This research paper outlines the systemic challenges of studying crime and criminal justice in Africa, emphasizing the impact of political repression, the legacy of colonialism, and the scarcity of reliable official data. It highlights how 'African solidarity' can lead to non-compliance with international legal protocols and suggests that regional cooperation through the African Union and SARPCCO offers a path toward greater transparency and institutionalized research.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies assesses the political transition and disarmament initiatives in Burundi during 2004. It examines the structures established under the Arusha Peace and Reconciliation Agreement, the challenges of integrating rebel factions into a national army, and the role of international peacekeeping forces in facilitating a peaceful transition to elections.

This document is a list of abbreviations used in Volume I of the 'Society Under Siege' series, identifying various political organizations, military groups, and United Nations missions.

This report chapter by Kees Kingma examines the processes and impacts of demobilising military personnel in Africa, focusing on how the transition from military to civilian life affects peace, security, and human development.

The report "The Enemy Within" examines the impact of HIV/AIDS on the armed forces of five Southern African nations—Botswana, Swaziland, Zambia, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe—and evaluates their policy and medical responses over a 25-year period.

This report examines the political opportunities and challenges facing President Felix Tshisekedi in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) during his first year in office. It highlights the tension between Tshisekedi and former President Joseph Kabila, whose FCC coalition maintains a dominant majority in Parliament. The author argues that for Tshisekedi to succeed and secure a second term in 2023, he must shift the political balance, reform the CENI and Constitutional Court, and address dire socio-economic needs. The report also discusses the necessity of a regional approach to peace in the eastern DRC involving Rwanda, Uganda, and Burundi, and suggests that the international community can support transformational change by promoting transparency in the mining sector via IMF engagement.

This document is the concluding chapter of a report analyzing the counter-insurgency strategies employed by the Rhodesian Security Forces during the war for Zimbabwe. It argues that the white administration failed because it treated the conflict as a military problem rather than a political one, neglecting the rural black population and failing to establish a coherent national strategy until the very end of the conflict.

This report provides a civil society perspective on the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Zimbabwe, with a specific focus on the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF). It examines the intersection of national epidemiology, political-economic crises, and military policies, highlighting the high prevalence of HIV within the armed forces and the risks associated with external deployments.

This report chapter argues for the integration of light weapons monitoring into early warning systems to prevent conflict. It examines the limitations of existing international arms registers, proposes a five-element process for early warning, and highlights regional cooperation in Southern Africa as a model for identifying and destroying destabilising weapons accumulations.

This research paper by Naison Ngoma examines the conceptual framework of Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) with a specific focus on the challenges faced by states in sub-Saharan Africa. The author argues that standard Western or European models of DDR are often inapplicable to the African context because many African populations were never fully mobilised for war, creating a unique dynamic of "demobilisation without mobilisation."

This document consists of a series of resolutions and declarations adopted by the Council of Ministers and the Conference of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) during its 23rd Ordinary Session held in Mogadishu, Somalia, from June 6 to 15, 1974. The resolutions cover a wide range of geopolitical, economic, and social issues, including the decolonization of Portuguese, Spanish, British, and French territories, the fight against apartheid in South Africa and Namibia, the management of drought in Africa, and the establishment of various pan-African technical and administrative bodies.

This document contains a series of resolutions (CM/Res.149 to CM/Res.174) adopted by the Council of Ministers of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) during its eleventh ordinary session held in Algiers, Algeria, from September 4 to 12, 1968. The resolutions address a wide range of political, humanitarian, and economic issues, including the status of refugees, the liberation of territories under Portuguese and South African domination, the decolonization of the Comoros, and the promotion of intra-African economic integration and cultural cooperation.

This handbook provides a comparative analysis of three key anti-corruption instruments: the SADC Protocol against Corruption (2001), the AU Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption (2003), and the UN Convention against Corruption (2003). It is designed as a tool for lawyers, policy makers, and legal drafters in Southern African countries to help them harmonize domestic legislation with these international standards, focusing on prohibited acts of corruption, preventative measures, jurisdiction, and international cooperation.