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This research paper outlines the 'Demographics and Health Scenario' for Africa, a model designed to accelerate the continent's demographic transition and enhance its demographic dividend through targeted interventions in fertility, mortality, and Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WaSH) infrastructure.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies examines two primary policy responses to climate change in Africa: carbon sequestration through forest regeneration and the implementation of a global carbon tax. It highlights the critical role of the Congo Basin as a carbon sink and analyzes four illustrative global carbon tax scenarios, concluding that a differentiated payment approach aligns best with international equity principles and the Paris Agreement.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes extreme poverty trends in Africa using a US$2.15 threshold. It highlights a divergence where the percentage of people in extreme poverty is declining, but the absolute number continues to rise due to rapid population growth, high inequality, and modest economic growth.

This research paper analyzes projections for Africa's fossil fuel carbon emissions up to 2063, comparing a 'Current Path' with a 'Combined scenario' that incorporates ambitious development improvements. It identifies a small number of key countries whose energy policies will determine the continent's overall contribution to global emissions.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the projected economic and social impacts of a 'Manufacturing scenario' for Africa between 2023 and 2043. The scenario forecasts that a strategic push toward industrialization will drive structural economic transformation, increase GDP, generate millions of jobs, and reduce extreme poverty and income inequality across the continent.

This research paper analyzes the economic trajectory of Africa on its 'Current Path' through 2043, highlighting a growing divergence in GDP per capita between Africa and the rest of the world despite an increase in the absolute size of the African economy.

This research paper analyzes the foreign policies of Ethiopia, Senegal, and South Africa using a comparative framework to distinguish between 'cautious' and 'assertive' diplomatic postures. The study finds that while these states often maintain cautious, non-aligned stances internationally to diversify partnerships, their regional behaviors vary significantly based on national interests, ranging from Senegal's interventionism in Gambia to Ethiopia's assertive pursuit of sea access. Ultimately, the paper argues that these diverse strategies are all aimed at consolidating strategic autonomy.

This report by the Africa Policy Research Institute analyzes the geopolitical landscape of Africa in 2025, characterized by a shift toward a multipolar world. It examines the impact of US strategic retrenchment, the first G20 summit held on the continent, tensions in the Horn of Africa, and the strategic competition over critical minerals along the Lobito Corridor.

This report by the Africa Policy Research Institute analyzes the geopolitical landscape of Africa in 2025, characterized by a shift toward a multipolar world order. It examines the impact of the second Trump administration's transactional approach to US-Africa relations, the outcomes of the first G20 summit held on the continent in South Africa, and the strategic competition over critical minerals along the Lobito Corridor. The document also details increasing instability in the Horn of Africa driven by global and regional power rivalries.

This briefing paper argues that the proposed United Nations Legally Binding Instrument (LBI) to regulate transnational corporations is a critical structural lever for achieving environmental justice. It contends that existing voluntary frameworks are inadequate to stop corporate-driven ecological destruction and that the LBI can transform the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment (RtHE) into enforceable obligations, ensuring corporate liability and access to remedy across transnational value chains.

This briefing paper argues for the necessity of a legally binding United Nations instrument to regulate transnational corporations and other businesses as a structural lever for environmental justice. It contends that current voluntary frameworks are insufficient to ensure corporate accountability for ecological destruction and human rights violations, particularly in the Global South.

The March 2026 Peace & Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the outcomes of the 39th African Union (AU) Summit, the composition and normative challenges of the Peace and Security Council (PSC), and the adoption of a new memorandum of understanding to coordinate the Africa Standby Force (ASF).

This research paper examines Russia's diplomatic, economic, and security relations with Southern African nations, particularly since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. It argues that while Russia leverages historical liberation-era ties and anti-Western rhetoric to maintain influence, its impact is severely limited by economic weakness, international sanctions, and a reliance on symbolic gestures over tangible developmental gains.

This briefing note by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines how the African Union (AU) and the European Union (EU) can collaborate to reform global governance, specifically the UN Security Council (UNSC), amidst a period of systemic rupture and geopolitical fragmentation.

This briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) outlines five critical themes and questions the organization will monitor during the 2026 Investing in Africa Mining Indaba in Cape Town. The document focuses on the intersection of geopolitics, industrialization, infrastructure, regional cooperation, and the role of civil society in Africa's mineral sector.

The February 2026 Peace & Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the declining influence of the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA), the gap between AU normative frameworks and electoral realities, the limited impact of informal consultations on post-coup transitions, and the critical economic necessity of improving water, sanitation, and hygiene (WaSH) infrastructure across Africa.

This fact sheet provides a comprehensive profile of the global copper value chain, detailing production, reserves, market concentration, and the impact of the energy transition. It highlights the dominance of China in refining and smelting, the role of major producers like Chile and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the challenges associated with recycling and ore grade decline.

This special report provides a scenario analysis (V, U, and L scenarios) of the impact of COVID-19 on Africa through 2030, focusing on economic indicators, extreme poverty, and Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets.

The ARE Energy Access Investment Forum (EAIF) 2026, held in Nairobi, Kenya, from 21 to 24 April 2026, served as a platform for advancing renewable electrification. The event brought together 1,400 participants, including 215 investors, to discuss funding landscapes, green mini-grids, grid modernisation, and productive uses of energy. Key outcomes included the launch of a USD 25 million project preparation facility by COMESA and the rebranding of ARE to the Alliance for Renewable Electrification.

This end-of-year commentary by Ember synthesises key findings from 2025 regarding the global energy transition, highlighting how solar and wind power have begun to outpace global electricity demand growth and reshape energy dynamics through the rise of "electrotech" and battery storage.