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This report documents the 6th African Conference of Commandants (ACoC), held in November 2012 in Abuja, Nigeria. The conference focused on the role of staff colleges in preparing military officers to address emerging security challenges in Africa, emphasizing the need for a balance between academic education, professional military studies, and tactical training to develop flexible, intellectual leaders.

This briefing is a concept note for a conference titled "The APRM +10: Reviewing a Decade of Peer Learning and Projecting a Future of Governance in Africa," scheduled for May 17–18, 2013, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The event aims to bring together African civil society organisations (CSOs) and governance structures to appraise the first ten years of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) and plan for its second decade.

This report analyzes the use of registration and approval requirements in investment treaties to limit their scope of application. It examines how these requirements function in practice, their interpretation by arbitral tribunals, and provides recommendations for States to ensure such clauses are legally effective and transparent.

This briefing examines food security challenges in Africa, focusing on the impact of price volatility, the role of agricultural policy, and international initiatives like the G-8's New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition. It highlights the gap between policy commitments, such as the CAADP's spending targets, and actual implementation, while discussing the tension between trade-led food security and national self-sufficiency.

The Prosol program in Tunisia successfully scaled the adoption of solar water heaters (SWHs) by combining capital subsidies, concessional credit, and a strategic risk-sharing mechanism. Between 2005 and 2010, it leveraged USD 24.2 million in public funds to attract USD 110 million in private investment, installing approximately 119,000 systems. A critical success factor was the involvement of the state utility, STEG, which acted as a debt collector and guarantor, reducing credit risk for commercial banks and lowering interest rates for households. The program not only reduced CO2 emissions by 715 Kt over the systems' lifespans but also generated a net fiscal gain for the Tunisian government by reducing fossil fuel subsidy expenditures by an estimated USD 101 million over the long term.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies uses the International Futures (IFs) forecasting model to analyze the projected rise in road traffic fatalities in Africa through 2050. It argues that road safety is a critical development issue, as rapid motorization often outpaces infrastructure and regulatory improvements. The document compares a 'base case' forecast with an 'improved scenario' where African countries stabilize death rates at current continental averages, demonstrating that aggressive road safety interventions could save millions of lives and provide a significant boost to the continent's GDP.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the legal complexities of 'indirect expropriation' in international investment law. It analyzes how the lack of a clear definition in most investment treaties creates tension between the protection of foreign private investments and the sovereign right of host states to regulate in the public interest, particularly regarding health, environment, and human rights.

This policy briefing examines the proposed Tripartite Free Trade Area (FTA) involving 26 member states from COMESA, EAC, and SADC, focusing specifically on the challenges and prospects of liberalising the services sector and the movement of business persons.

This report documents the 5th African Conference of Commandants (ACoC), held from 28–30 November 2011 in Gaborone, Botswana. The conference brought together commandants from African Staff Colleges to discuss the impact of globalisation on human rights, the proliferation of small arms, gender equality in the military, and the standardisation of military education to support the African Standby Force (ASF) and peace support operations (PSOs).

This discussion brief by the Stockholm Environment Institute argues for a 'nexus' approach to climate change in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, emphasizing the critical interdependence of water and energy planning for effective mitigation and adaptation.

The Annual Partner Survey 2011-2012 report details the results of a voluntary survey conducted by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) in late 2011. The survey gathered feedback from 202 participants—including NGOs, individual consultants, and research institutes—regarding the quality of CDKN's products, its effectiveness in knowledge sharing and partnership facilitation, and its overall influence on organizational practices and policies.

This report surveys the diverse methodologies used to calculate and report 'leverage ratios' in climate finance, highlighting the lack of a universal definition. It examines how various institutions—including the World Bank, the Global Environmental Facility (GEF), and the Clean Technology Fund (CTF)—measure the ability of public funds to catalyze private and other public investments, and proposes a more rigorous framework for assessing financial effectiveness.

This briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) analyzes the internal, regional, and international security implications following the death of Muammar Gaddafi on 20 October 2011. It examines the challenges facing the National Transitional Council (NTC) in managing armed militias and oil revenues, the risk of arms proliferation across the Sahel and Maghreb, and the geopolitical opportunities for South Africa and the African Union (AU) to influence the transition and strengthen regional security mechanisms.

In a speech delivered on November 10, 2011, at the South African Institute of International Affairs, French Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Alain Juppé discussed the necessity of a new global governance framework that integrates Africa's emerging influence. He outlined four primary shared challenges—economic crisis, development, security, and the environment—and advocated for the reform of the UN Security Council and the creation of a World Environment Organisation to better reflect current global realities.

This research paper by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) examines the use of business delegations accompanying the South African president on state visits as a tool for economic diplomacy. It analyzes the benefits and challenges of this practice, particularly under President Zuma's administration starting in 2009, and proposes a new model to improve the coordination and effectiveness of private sector participation in foreign policy.

This statement by the Institute for Security Studies argues that African Union (AU) member states should adopt a positive approach toward the International Criminal Court (ICC) during the 17th Ordinary Session of Heads of State. The author contends that while some states express misgivings about the court's focus on Africa, the ICC remains a vital tool for ending impunity where national systems fail, and that AU decisions shielding leaders from arrest undermine the international rule of law.

This report by Friends of the Earth International and several partner organisations argues against the 'Principles for Responsible Agricultural Investment' (RAI), asserting that large-scale land acquisitions—or 'land grabbing'—cannot be made responsible and should instead be outlawed to protect food sovereignty and human rights.

A statement by Friends of the Earth International and a coalition of social movements condemning the 'Principles of Responsible Agricultural Investment' (RAI) as a facade to legitimize large-scale land grabbing. The document argues that these voluntary principles, promoted by the World Bank and other international agencies, mask financial speculation and human rights violations while advocating instead for food sovereignty and genuine land reform.

This policy briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the African Union's (AU) principle of rejecting unconstitutional changes of government. It analyzes the 'democrat's dilemma'—the tension between maintaining constitutional order and supporting popular uprisings against authoritarian regimes—specifically in the context of the 2011 Maghreb revolutions.

A statement by Fred Phaswana, Chairperson of the SAIIA National Council, discussing the role of think tanks in analyzing North African uprisings, the importance of democratic electoral processes in Africa, and South Africa's strategic international engagements in 2011, including its role in the UN Security Council, BRICS, and hosting the 17th UN Conference of the Parties on Climate Change.