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An address by Dirco Deputy Minister Alvin Botes detailing South Africa's strategic foreign policy approach amidst a shifting geopolitical landscape. The speech emphasizes non-alignment, the role of multilateralism through BRICS+ and the G20, and the necessity of addressing regional security and climate change to protect national interests.

This research paper proposes a comprehensive trade and sustainable development agenda for the Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) within the multilateral trading system. It outlines a five-part plan to leverage the World Trade Organization (WTO) for green industrialization and suggests adopting partnership models, such as those used by the EU, to reduce commodity dependence and enhance renewable energy production.

This policy note examines the Compact with Africa (CwA), an initiative launched in 2017 to increase private investment and infrastructure in African countries through coordinated reform agendas and stakeholder cooperation.

This policy brief by the International Institute for Sustainable Development examines the role of trade and investment agreements in the critical minerals boom, highlighting the tension between importing countries' desire for stable raw material access and exporting countries' goals for domestic value addition and sustainability.

A statement by Friends of the Earth International regarding the COP16.2 negotiations in Rome, arguing that current biodiversity financing mechanisms are unjust and that a fundamental systemic change in the global financial system is required to effectively combat biodiversity loss.

Friends of the Earth International issues a statement calling for a fundamental systemic change in biodiversity financing ahead of the COP16.2 meeting in Rome. The organization argues that current financial mechanisms are unjust, driven by destructive industries, and fail to support the most effective conservation actors, such as Indigenous peoples and local communities.

This briefing by Friends of the Earth International argues that the biodiversity crisis is driven by systemic financial failures and calls for a fundamental reform of the financial system ahead of the COP16.2 negotiations in Rome. It criticizes the current reliance on private finance, biodiversity offsets, and the failure of developed nations to meet funding pledges, while advocating for direct financial support for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs).

This guide, published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and Porticus, provides a strategic framework for philanthropic organizations to advance the reform of environmentally harmful subsidies (EHS). It argues that redirecting a portion of the USD 2 trillion annually spent on EHS could significantly fund biodiversity and climate goals. The document outlines a theory of change based on defining problems, identifying solutions, and creating political support to open 'policy windows' for reform.

This report summarizes a February 2025 policy dialogue event organized by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) and the Institute for Peace and Security Studies (IPSS). The discussion focused on the African Union's (AU) ability to reposition Africa within a shifting global order characterized by geopolitical disruptions, including the 'Trump 2.0' era. The panel identified critical barriers to Africa's strategic positioning, such as financial dependency on external donors, a disconnect between aging leadership and a young population, and a fragmented approach to global diplomacy. The report advocates for institutional reforms within the AU, a shift from focusing on historical reparations toward immediate economic and security stability, and the adoption of a unified foreign policy to increase the continent's global influence.

This policy brief argues that Africa must transition from a reliance on international financial institutions to a model of economic, mineral, and energy sovereignty to unlock the full potential of its mining sector. The authors propose a 'resource leverage strategy' to exchange mineral access for technology transfer and local beneficiation, while advocating for the creation of independent African financial institutions and standardized resource reporting to reduce dependency on the Global North.

This research paper by Kholofelo Kugler and Tani Washington analyzes the impact of the Trump administration's 2025 tariff policies on African nations. It details the structure of the new tariffs, the specific vulnerabilities of countries like Lesotho and Madagascar, the potential advantages for Egypt and Kenya, and the precarious future of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).

This research paper by Jakkie Cilliers, commissioned by the Netherlands Scientific Council for Government Policy (wrr), examines the potential for Africa to achieve a demographic dividend. It analyzes the stages of demographic transition, the role of urbanization, and the specific conditions—such as health, education, and governance—required to convert a youthful population structure into economic growth. The paper models an ambitious 'Demographics and Health' scenario to demonstrate how accelerated improvements in fertility and mortality could enhance Africa's development trajectory and its relationship with Europe.

This policy brief argues that Africa's youth agenda must transition from a focus on peace and security (YPS) to a more holistic approach integrating development (YPD). It highlights that underdevelopment is a primary driver of insecurity for the continent's youth, who face high unemployment and poverty. The document notes that current AU frameworks have failed to meet mid-way targets for 2024 and recommends integrating developmental indicators into the Continental Framework on YPS and leveraging the AfCFTA and Agenda 2063 to create jobs for the 100–120 million youth expected to enter the job market in the next decade.

This seminar report, co-hosted by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) and the UN Office of the Special Adviser on Africa (UNOSAA) on 27 September 2024, examines the implications of the UN's Pact for the Future for Africa. The document discusses the alignment of the Pact with Africa's Agenda 2063, the need for reforming international financial institutions, and the shift toward a more political, rather than military-centric, approach to peace and support operations (PSOs) on the continent.

This policy brief examines how African youth are utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies to decentralize peacebuilding, shift early warning systems toward data-driven analysis, and challenge traditional conflict narratives. While youth act as key knowledge creators, the document warns that digital divides, gender gaps, and underdeveloped policy frameworks risk marginalizing these contributions and reinforcing existing power hierarchies.

This policy brief examines the opportunities and challenges associated with Somalia's admission to the East African Community (EAC) in March 2024. It analyzes the strategic, economic, and security implications for both Somalia and the bloc, highlighting the tension between the political will for integration and the institutional, legal, and security fragilities within Somalia.

This policy brief examines the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Digital Trade Protocol, focusing on overcoming digital exclusion and harmonising regulations to boost intra-African digital trade. It provides specific recommendations for member states across regulatory reform, digital public infrastructure, and human capital development to bridge the digital divide and create a predictable business environment for digital services.

This special edition of the Peace & Security Council Report focuses on the 2025 African Union (AU) senior leadership election process, detailing the procedural rules, the candidates for the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson positions, and the institutional challenges facing the incoming leadership.

This policy brief examines the foreign and development relations between Africa, the European Union (EU), and Germany, arguing that these relationships are still characterized by 'coloniality'—the persistence of unequal power dynamics and colonial logic. The author analyzes how EU and German policies in security, raw material acquisition, and development aid often marginalize African agency, prioritize European economic interests, and employ 'saviourism' through top-down interventions. The document provides specific case studies from Mauritania, Mali, South Sudan, Namibia, and Zambia to illustrate these dynamics and concludes with recommendations for genuine decolonization, including respecting African demands on trade and resource beneficiation.

The ninth FOCAC Beijing Summit (2024) marked a re-calibration of China-Africa relations, with China pledging USD 50.7 billion over three years. African leaders demonstrated increased agency, shifting focus from raw aid to value-added trade, technological transfer, and green energy. Key outcomes include a USD 1 billion deal to rehabilitate the Tazara railway and a strategic increase in Chinese security assistance via the Global Security Initiative. The summit highlights a growing ideological and geopolitical divide, as China offers an alternative governance model to Western liberal democracy and aggressively pursues the African EV and digital markets.