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This report summarizes progress toward Goal 10 of the New York Declaration on Forests, which focuses on strengthening forest governance, transparency, and the rule of law, while empowering indigenous peoples and local communities. It details developments in producer and consumer countries regarding illegal timber trade, the rising violence against environmental defenders, and the status of financial resources and data collection for land tenure security.

This briefing by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the emergence of agricultural growth poles (agropoles) and corridors in Africa. It describes these as coordinated investments in infrastructure and industry designed to transition African agriculture from subsistence to commercial systems. The document outlines the operational challenges facing these projects, the necessity of robust legal frameworks to avoid creating 'enclaves', and a three-step model (vision, design, and implementation) for ensuring responsible and sustainable development.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies examines the African Union's (AU) efforts to engage youth in democratic governance. It argues that while normative frameworks like the African Youth Charter and the African Governance Architecture–Youth Engagement Strategy (AGA–YES) exist, there is a significant gap between these theoretical rights and the practical reality for young Africans, who often face unemployment and political marginalisation.

This policy briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines electoral trends in Africa based on elections held in 2015 and early 2016. While noting progress in democratic institution building since the 1990s, the authors identify four critical trends—constitutional manipulation, electoral calendar tampering, harassment of opposition, and low voter turnout—that threaten to reverse democratic gains. The document advocates for stricter adherence to African Union (AU) and Regional Economic Community (REC) standards to ensure credible and inclusive elections.

This guide describes ENACT (Enhancing Africa’s capacity to respond more effectively to transnational organised crime), a three-year European Union-funded programme implemented by the Institute for Security Studies, INTERPOL, and the Global Initiative against Transnational Organised Crime. The project aims to mitigate the impact of transnational organised crime (TOC) on Africa's governance, security, and development through evidence-based analysis, capacity building for policymakers and law enforcement, and the creation of regional monitoring hubs.

The document summarizes the conclusions of a seminar held on 9 December 2016 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, focused on assistance and capacity-building for the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1540, disarmament, and non-proliferation of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) weapons in Africa.

This report provides a 2016 progress update on the first ten goals of the New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF). It evaluates global trends in natural forest loss, private sector commitments to deforestation-free supply chains, restoration pledges under the Bonn Challenge and UNFCCC, and the evolution of international climate finance and forest governance.

This briefing by Friends of the Earth International advocates for a legally binding UN treaty to hold transnational corporations (TNCs) accountable for human rights and environmental violations, specifically highlighting systemic impunity and access-to-justice barriers in Africa.

This research paper by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) analyzes the use of fiscal instruments within Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) submitted to the UNFCCC by November 20, 2015. The review identifies trends in how countries employ fossil fuel subsidy reform (FFSR), clean energy subsidies, and carbon pricing to support low-carbon development and GHG mitigation.

This fact sheet provides an overview of the African Standby Force (ASF), its Rapid Deployment Capability (RDC), the African Capacity for Immediate Response to Crises (ACIRC), and the Amani Africa II field training exercise. It details the ASF's structure, mandate, funding challenges, and its relationship with other African Union (AU) peace and security mechanisms.

This technical annex assesses progress toward Goal 10 of the New York Declaration on Forests, which focuses on strengthening forest governance, transparency, the rule of law, and the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs). The report utilizes three primary indicators: the strength of institutions and policies in producer and consumer countries, the prevalence of illegal logging and related violence, and the formal recognition of land and forest rights for IPLCs.

This technical annex evaluates progress toward Goal 3 of the New York Declaration on Forests, which targets the reduction of deforestation from non-agricultural sectors. It identifies infrastructure, human settlements, and mining as the primary non-agricultural drivers, with logging as the main cause of forest degradation. The report highlights a significant lack of disaggregated data, making it impossible to establish quantitative indicators for progress. It reviews public policy tools such as import bans on illegal timber in the US, EU, and Australia, and the use of Strategic Environmental Impact Assessments (SEA) by the World Bank. Private sector efforts include FSC and PEFC certifications, though certified forest land has plateaued at 10% since 2008, and emerging responsible mining initiatives like the Oro Verde program in Colombia.

This report, published in November 2015 by Climate Focus and partners, establishes an assessment framework and provides an initial progress report on the ten goals of the New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF). It evaluates the status of global efforts to halt natural forest loss, restore degraded lands, and improve forest governance one year after the NYDF's September 2014 signing.

This policy brief from the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the evolving security relationship between China and Africa. It analyzes how China is shifting from a strict policy of non-interference toward deeper engagement in both traditional military security and non-traditional threats, including the protection of its citizens, pandemic response, and environmental conservation, increasingly through multilateral frameworks.

This August 2015 report from the Institute for Security Studies provides an analysis of the African Union Peace and Security Council's (PSC) activities, focusing on the postponed field mission to Burundi, security challenges facing AMISOM in Somalia, the AU's stance on universal jurisdiction regarding a Rwandan official, and internal restructuring efforts within the AU Commission.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs argues that South Africa should expand its foreign policy by reconceiving its engagement with Latin America and Africa as a unified 'South Atlantic Zone'. The authors suggest that this framework can enhance maritime security, promote the 'blue economy' through initiatives like Operation Phakisa, and increase trade and cultural ties among littoral states.

This report from the Institute for Security Studies details the outcomes of the 25th African Union (AU) summit held in June 2015. It focuses on the Peace and Security Council's (PSC) efforts to address crises in South Sudan, Burundi, and Libya, the AU's strained relationship with the International Criminal Court (ICC) regarding Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, and broader initiatives including the Continental Free Trade Area and the African Capacity for Immediate Response to Crises (ACIRC).

This research paper examines the strategic importance of the South Atlantic Zone for South Africa's foreign policy, arguing that treating the region as a single entity can bridge the divide between African and Latin American engagements. It highlights opportunities for cooperation in maritime security, the 'blue economy' through Operation Phakisa, and South-South economic and cultural collaboration, while noting that current trade levels remain low despite significant potential.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the conflict between extractive industries and the conservation of Protected Areas (PAs) and World Heritage (WH) sites in Africa. It argues for the strict enforcement of 'no-go zones' in WH sites and the implementation of rigorous biodiversity management standards for mining in other PAs to prevent irreversible ecological damage.

This policy brief examines the African Union's (AU) counter-terrorism architecture, arguing that while a comprehensive legal and normative framework exists, its effectiveness is severely undermined by poor implementation at both the state and institutional levels.