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This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the challenges and milestones of Zambian civil society's engagement with the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) between 2006 and 2014. It details how the process was hindered by resource constraints, political instability, and overlapping national priorities, while highlighting the role of a dedicated CSO APRM Secretariat in ensuring civil society's voice was included in national reports.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the impact of COVID-19 on agricultural value chains within the Southern African Development Community (SADC). It argues that while the agricultural sector was less severely affected than others, the pandemic exacerbated existing structural weaknesses, such as food insecurity and a heavy reliance on subsistence farming. The document proposes a 'dual approach' to development that supports both small-scale and large-scale commercial farming, alongside the adoption of digital technologies, climate-smart infrastructure, and the full implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to drive regional integration and growth.

This policy briefing examines the impact of COVID-19 on agricultural value chains within the Southern African Development Community (SADC). While the agricultural sector was less affected than others, the pandemic exacerbated existing structural challenges, including food insecurity, a reliance on subsistence farming, and infrastructure deficits. The authors argue for a 'dual approach' that supports both small-scale and commercial farming, alongside the adoption of digital technologies and the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to drive regional integration and growth.

The COP26 Resilience Hub Synthesis Report outlines key messages and future directions for climate adaptation and resilience, emphasizing the need for locally led action, diversified finance, and the integration of nature-based solutions. It synthesizes findings from the Resilience Hub's activities at COP26, focusing on three pillars (urban, coastal, and rural) and ten thematic areas to guide action toward COP27.

This policy brief explores green growth financing mechanisms to support Africa's economic recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic. It argues that the 'twin COVID–climate crisis' provides an opportunity to 'build back better' by integrating sustainable investment into stimulus packages, leveraging private capital through green bonds, and reforming fiscal and financial regulations to increase climate resilience.

This report by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) uses 'futures thinking' and scenario-building to explore the potential adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region over a 5- to 15-year period. It identifies key driving forces—such as rapid urbanization and falling renewable energy costs—and examines the tensions between inclusive and exclusive transitions and the role of proactive versus reactive government policy.

This briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the intersection of skills transfer, gender equality, and the green energy transition in Africa. It highlights the systemic under-representation of women in energy value chains and the need for a 'just transition' that addresses unemployment risks in fossil fuel-dependent economies through reskilling and targeted AU-EU strategic partnerships.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies provides a scenario analysis of the long-term impacts of COVID-19 on Africa through 2030. Using the International Futures (IFs) forecasting platform, it examines three economic recovery paths (V, U, and L-shaped) and their effects on GDP, poverty, health expenditure, and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The analysis concludes that the pandemic is likely to undo several years of development progress, increase extreme poverty, and exacerbate debt sustainability issues across the continent.

This special report analyzes the initial response to COVID-19 in Africa, examining the vulnerabilities of the continent's health systems, the various mitigation strategies adopted by different nations, and the challenges of implementing lockdowns in contexts of high poverty and informality.

This policy brief examines the current state of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure in Africa, highlighting a significant deficit that hinders development. While private sector investment and 'leapfrogging' to fibre-optic systems have driven progress, the continent still lags behind global averages in internet penetration, service quality, and affordability. The document recommends strategic policy interventions to improve rural access, enhance policy capacity, and expand the technical skills base to fully realize the benefits of the digital economy.

This policy brief from the African Center for Economic Transformation outlines ten priority policy areas to support Africa's economic recovery and long-term transformation following the COVID-19 pandemic. The recommendations are categorized into resource mobilization, governance, business environment, and digital innovation.

This June 2020 report from the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the activities of the African Union's Peace and Security Council (PSC), focusing on regional coordination against COVID-19, the political and security situation in Somalia, institutional reforms within the AU Commission, and the challenges of borderland security and youth engagement.

This report analyzes the evolving jurisprudence of UN human rights treaty bodies (HRTBs) from 2008 to 2019, concluding that States have legal obligations under human rights treaties to implement ambitious climate mitigation (including phasing out fossil fuels), ensure inclusive adaptation, and provide international cooperation. Key developments include a 2019 joint statement by five HRTBs and the Human Rights Committee's recognition that climate change threatens the right to life, potentially triggering non-refoulment obligations in deportation cases.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the implementation of public-private partnerships (PPPs) within the Southern African Development Community (SADC). It distinguishes PPPs from privatisation, highlights the potential for PPPs to address infrastructure deficits in Africa, and provides recommendations for improving governance, transparency, and public engagement to attract investment while avoiding hidden debt.

This policy briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs provides guidelines for implementing public-private partnerships (PPPs) within the Southern African Development Community (SADC). It distinguishes PPPs from privatisation, analyses the regional infrastructure landscape, and recommends the establishment of independent PPP units and formalised public consultation frameworks to attract investment and ensure sustainable project delivery.

This policy brief examines the slow adoption of the AU Convention on Cyber Security and Personal Data Protection and suggests that the African Union adopt the 'norm entrepreneur' approach of the European Union. It highlights Mauritius as a regional success story and recommends the AU implement agile governance principles and create a continental cybersecurity agency similar to ENISA to better protect citizens and combat cybercrime.

This briefing by the Center for International Environmental Law synthesizes the work of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) regarding climate change. It details the Committee's use of General Comments, a Joint Statement with other treaty bodies, and the State reporting procedure to establish that States have human rights obligations to mitigate climate change, protect vulnerable populations, and provide international cooperation and finance.

This policy briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs argues that the electric vehicle (EV) revolution presents Southern African states with an opportunity to transform their economic trajectories through a systemic innovation approach. It advocates for a 'just e-volution' that integrates the mining, automotive, and energy sectors to move toward a low-carbon economy, specifically suggesting a 'Green New Deal' for the SADC region to avoid becoming a dumping ground for obsolete internal combustion engine technology.

This report explores how cell captive insurance structures can address structural constraints in sub-Saharan African (SSA) insurance markets, such as fragmentation, lack of innovation, and limited capacity for specialised risks. It identifies four primary use cases—specialised risk management, retail innovation, market participation, and offshore financial centre development—and provides a decision framework for regulators to design appropriate legal and supervisory structures.

This research paper examines the implementation of the World Trade Organization's (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) in Africa, using Zambia as a primary case study. It analyzes the benefits of trade facilitation for landlocked lower-middle-income countries, the role of the TFA Facility and donor assistance, and the specific challenges and successes of trade facilitation reforms at four of Zambia's strategic border posts.