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This research paper introduces the 'Towards Collaborative Peace' (TCP) project by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), which examines the illegal trade of small arms and light weapons in Southern Africa. The document outlines the project's goal to analyze how the proliferation of weapons—resulting from conflict legacies and porous borders—contributes to a 'culture of violence' and undermines democratization and socio-economic development in the region.

This research paper introduces the 'Towards Collaborative Peace' (TCP) project by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), which examines the illegal trade of small arms and light weapons in Southern Africa and their role in fostering a 'culture of violence'. The project employs a south-south approach, comparing trends in Southern Africa with those in the southern part of South America, specifically within the Mercosur countries, to propose regional control mechanisms and local strategies for reversing violence.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies examines the growth of organised crime in South Africa following the transition to democracy in 1990. It analyzes the factors contributing to this growth, the nature of local and international syndicates, and the systemic weaknesses within the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the broader criminal justice system that hinder effective countermeasures.

This research paper examines the relationship between illicit drugs and violence in South Africa, applying the 'tripartite conceptual framework' to analyze psychopharmacological, economic compulsive, and systemic violence. It highlights South Africa's emergence as a major transit point for international drug trafficking and warns that the resulting systemic violence and corruption could undermine the state's governability.

This research paper by Hussein Solomon of the Institute for Security Studies analyses the transition from the 1995 Draft Protocol on the Free Movement of Persons to the 1997 Draft Protocol on the Facilitation of Movement of Persons within the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The author argues that the 1995 protocol was overly idealistic and failed to account for extreme economic disparities and security risks, whereas the 1997 protocol adopts a more realistic, incremental approach focused on bilateral agreements and the gradual elimination of obstacles.

This monograph, published by the Institute for Security Studies in February 1997, examines the strategic utility of naval power for South Africa in the post-Cold War era. It consists of several papers discussing the renewal of the South African Navy (SAN) fleet, the evolving nature of global security, and opportunities for maritime cooperation in the South Atlantic and Indian Ocean rims. The document highlights the SAN's struggle with obsolete equipment and funding shortages while arguing that naval power remains a flexible, benign tool for diplomacy, humanitarian aid, and the protection of marine resources and economic interests.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the evolution of United Nations peace support operations from traditional peacekeeping to Multifunctional Peace Support Operations (MPSOs). It examines the conceptual confusion between peacekeeping, peace enforcement, and enforcement, while highlighting the challenges of deploying missions in failed states and intra-state conflicts. The authors argue for a shift in operational strategy, suggesting that missions should begin with a strong peace-enforcement posture to establish a secure environment before transitioning to peacekeeping and peacebuilding tasks.

This CDKN Essentials fact sheet defines climate knowledge brokering as the process of linking knowledge producers and users to move knowledge into action. It outlines a spectrum of roles for brokers—ranging from informational support to systemic innovation—and argues that the urgency of the climate crisis requires a shift toward innovation brokering to address power dynamics, governance, and political contexts.

This strategic framework, developed by the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) and the Global Water Partnership (GWP), provides a phased approach for African nations to integrate water security and climate resilience into their national development planning and investment decision-making processes.

This fact sheet by the Centre for Environmental Rights warns against the development of a bulk marine sediment mining industry in South Africa, specifically targeting marine phosphates. It argues that the technology used is destructive, the environmental impacts are irreversible, and the justification based on food security is without merit.

This document is a confirmatory affidavit and professional curriculum vitae submitted by David Ogier, an independent Climate, Risk, and GIS Specialist, to the High Court of South Africa Eastern Cape Division. Ogier confirms the accuracy of expert maps (FA 10 and FA 11) prepared for a legal matter involving the Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy and other respondents, including Shell Exploration and Production South Africa BV and BG International Limited.

The Critical Minerals and Metals Strategy for South Africa is a national roadmap designed to transition the country from a raw material supplier to a global hub for processed critical minerals and high-value end products. The strategy focuses on leveraging South Africa's vast reserves of platinum group metals, manganese, and vanadium to support the global energy transition, specifically in sectors like electric vehicles, green hydrogen, and renewable energy. It outlines six strategic pillars—geoscience mapping, value addition, R&D, infrastructure, financial instruments, and regulatory harmonisation—to drive industrialisation, job creation, and economic resilience while navigating complex geopolitical tensions and promoting regional integration within Africa.

This report, prepared by Jock Currie of the University of Cape Town for WWF South Africa, examines the potential ecological impacts of full-scale marine phosphate mining in the Western Cape, South Africa. It focuses on the risks associated with high-volume dredging technologies, such as Trailing Suction Hopper-Dredges (TSHD), and their effects on benthic, demersal, and pelagic organisms, as well as the overlap between proposed mining areas and critical conservation and fishery zones.

This draft report details a two-day parliamentary colloquium held on 21 and 22 August 2018 by the Portfolio Committee on Environmental Affairs of the Republic of South Africa. The event examined the ethical, conservation, and reputational impacts of captive lion breeding (CLB) for hunting and the lion bone trade, featuring testimony from government departments, industry bodies, and conservation NGOs.

This report assesses the socio-economic value of South Africa's commercial fisheries—which generated R8.0 billion in wholesale value in 2013—against the potential impacts of marine phosphate mining. It highlights a significant spatial overlap between proposed mining areas and hake and small-pelagic fishing grounds, warning that sediment plumes and exclusion zones could threaten the industry's sustainability and employment.

This briefing note reviews the 2023 activities of the Human Rights Committee (CCPR) regarding climate change, noting its inclusion of the topic in two Concluding Observations (COB) and two List of Issues (LOIs).

This report by Ember examines how the closure of the Strait of Hormuz exposes the fragility of global fossil fuel dependencies, particularly in Asia, and argues that scaling 'electrotech' (EVs, solar, wind, batteries, and heat pumps) provides a viable path to energy security and economic independence.

The Africa Green Bond Toolkit is a practical guide developed by FSD Africa and the Climate Bonds Initiative (CBI) to assist African capital markets in issuing green bonds according to international standards. It outlines the structural differences between green and vanilla bonds, provides a step-by-step issuance process, and details the requirements for creating a Green Bond Framework. The guide emphasizes the role of external verification and certification to ensure transparency and attract institutional investors to climate-resilient projects across the continent.

The Venture Finance Portfolio document provides a detailed overview of various investment funds and venture-building platforms supported by FSD Africa and FSDAi. These entities focus on scaling climate-tech, gender-lens investing, and financial inclusion across Africa, utilizing a mix of equity, grants, and debt to catalyze private capital and drive sustainable economic growth.

This executive summary details a study on sovereign debt management in the MEFMI region during the COVID-19 pandemic. It finds that the crisis led to sharp GDP contractions and a significant increase in the average debt-to-GDP ratio (rising to 70.6% in 2020). Countries responded with policy rate cuts, tax exemptions, and increased reliance on Local Currency Bond Markets (LCBMs). While international initiatives like the G20's DSSI provided critical relief, the pandemic exposed a lack of business continuity planning and operational risk management in debt offices.