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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 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 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 report analyzes the political and security crisis in Lesotho leading up to the February 2015 snap elections. It examines the structural causes of instability, including the politicization of security forces, the failure of coalition governments, and the limitations of the Mixed Member Parallel electoral system. The document also evaluates the role of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in mediating the crisis and concludes that elections alone are unlikely to resolve the country's cyclical patterns of violence and institutional fragility.

This research paper by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) examines the tension between South Africa's regional dominance and its aspirations for integration in Southern Africa. Drawing on a 2013 perceptions survey of foreign policy practitioners, the author analyzes how South Africa's economic, political, and security influence is perceived by its neighbors and suggests ways to improve regional legitimacy through increased consultation and multilateralism.

This report by Friends of the Earth International critiques the 'financialization of nature,' arguing that redefining ecosystems as a set of quantifiable 'environmental services' serves to maintain industrial growth and corporate profits rather than protecting biodiversity. The author contends that market-based mechanisms, such as biodiversity offsets and carbon credits, provide a 'permit to pollute' and lead to the dispossession of indigenous peoples and local communities.

This report by Friends of the Earth International critiques the 'financialization of nature,' arguing that redefining nature as a set of quantifiable 'ecosystem services' serves as a tool for capital markets to maximize profits and reduce industrial costs rather than protecting biodiversity.

This report by Friends of the Earth International argues that the 'financialization of nature'—the process of redefining nature as a collection of quantifiable 'ecosystem services' to be traded on capital markets—is a threat to ecological justice. The document contends that these markets, including biodiversity and carbon offsets, serve as cost-cutting tools for corporations to continue industrial destruction while undermining the rights and territories of indigenous peoples and traditional communities.

This report, published by Natural Justice and Namati, synthesizes strategies and lessons from a 2013 symposium of 20 expert advocates working to protect community lands and natural resources across Africa. It provides a practitioner-focused guide to confronting threats such as state-driven mega-projects, large-scale land concessions, and exclusionary conservation. The document emphasizes the importance of community self-definition, the use of biocultural community protocols, and the necessity of multi-pronged advocacy strategies that combine legal education, community mobilization, and strategic engagement with government and media.

This report, published by the South African Institute of International Affairs in 2015, examines the state of governance and accountability in Africa. It analyzes both continental frameworks, such as the African Union's Agenda 2063 and the African Peer Review Mechanism, and domestic institutions, including parliaments, courts, and ombudsman offices, to identify the drivers of democratic progress and the persistence of authoritarian tendencies.

This policy brief examines the leadership of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) from 2014 to 2015, specifically the roles of Zimbabwe as the overall chair and South Africa as the chair of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation (OPDSC). It analyzes how domestic political dynamics, foreign policy, and institutional constraints influence their ability to shape the regional organization's agenda.

The November 2014 issue of the Peace & Security Council (PSC) Report details the African Union's (AU) interventions in Burkina Faso, its monitoring of various African elections, and its strategic focus on state fragility. It also provides a comprehensive analysis of the Ebola epidemic's impact on socio-political stability in West Africa and the international community's response.

This policy briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs analyzes the behavior and voting patterns of African states within the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) between July 2010 and July 2014. It highlights a tension between the African Group's organized coordination and its diverse, often inconsistent, responses to human rights violations both within Africa and globally.

A position statement by Dr Allan Heydorn and Prof Michael Orren arguing for a precautionary approach to seabed mining, emphasizing the interdependence of marine ecosystems and the risks to fisheries and global food security.

This briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs analyzes three potential scenarios for the renewal of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), emphasizing the need for investment certainty and the diversification of African exports beyond energy.

This policy brief examines the role of the extractive industries (EIs) in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and argues for a shift from 'trickle-down economics' toward an inclusive green growth strategy to mitigate environmental degradation and social harm.

This research paper examines the relationship between South Africa's normative foreign policy goals—centered on democracy, human rights, and good governance—and its economic diplomacy within the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The author argues that there is an inconsistent linkage between these two areas, as South Africa often prioritizes economic interests and historical political alliances over the enforcement of its normative values.

This policy briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) examines the architecture of extractive governance in Africa, focusing on the Africa Mining Vision (AMV) and the African Minerals Development Centre (AMDC). It argues that for these African-led initiatives to succeed, they must integrate ground-level research, avoid duplication of efforts, and leverage the experience of existing global and multilateral frameworks.

This research paper by Christopher Wood of the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the stalled negotiations of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union. The author identifies four primary obstacles—export taxes, the Most Favored Nation (MFN) clause, agricultural safeguards, and rules of origin—and proposes specific compromises to ensure the agreement's completion and successful implementation.