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This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies examines the evolution of France's relations with Africa, analyzing the transition from the traditional 'Françafrique' system of personalized power and influence toward a more multilateral, transparent partnership. It evaluates the tensions between official rhetoric of rupture—such as the 'doctrine de la Baule' and President Nicolas Sarkozy's promises—and the persistence of old habits, including the support of authoritarian regimes and the reduction of development aid.

This report provides a state-by-state overview of scheduled and potential elections across several African nations in 2008, noting a general trend where incumbents face little threat from fragmented oppositions, though some countries are experiencing significant leadership transitions.

This briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) analyzes China's preferential trade policy for African Least Developed Countries (LDCs). While the policy is designed to align with the export capacities of these nations, the author argues that its economic impact is modest compared to its symbolic and diplomatic value in signaling China's rise as a global power and alternative to Western donors.

The report 'Back to the Blackboard' examines the education crisis in sub-Saharan Africa, arguing that the narrow focus on Universal Primary Education (UPE) and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) has neglected secondary education and compromised instructional quality. It highlights systemic failures including teacher shortages, poor salaries, corruption, and the devastating impact of HIV/Aids. The document advocates for a comprehensive strategy that integrates secondary schooling, vocational training, and curriculum reform to drive economic growth, drawing lessons from East Asia's successful integration of human capital development and industrial planning.

This report details the outcomes of a three-day workshop on 'Supporting Protected Areas in Times of Violent Conflict' held during the 5th IUCN World Parks Congress in Durban, South Africa, in September 2003. Co-organized by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) under a UNDP-supported initiative, the workshop focused on the bidirectional relationship between protected areas and violent conflict, identifying best practices for management during crises and the role of conservation in peace-building and post-conflict reconstruction.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies examines the intersection of anti-personnel landmines and the development of peacekeeping standby forces in Africa. It analyzes the operational challenges posed by landmines in irregular African conflicts, the progress of the Ottawa Convention across the continent, and the specific legislative and policy frameworks adopted by South Africa and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to combat mine proliferation.

This policy brief by the African Forum and Network on Debt and Development examines resource-backed loans (RBLs) and the collateralisation of mineral resources in African countries. It explores how these financial mechanisms can unlock infrastructure funding for resource-rich but capital-poor nations, while warning of significant risks including debt sustainability crises, lack of transparency, and the erosion of competitive public procurement processes.

This briefing note by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) and the Global Initiative for Economic, Social & Cultural Rights (GIESCR) reviews the 2023 activities of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) regarding climate change and environmental protection.

The Healthy NDC Scorecard is a visual tool designed to evaluate whether national climate commitments (NDCs) are sufficient to protect human health, measuring them against the Paris Agreement and science-aligned targets.

This fact sheet describes risk pooling mechanisms that aggregate risks across countries or portfolios to diversify exposure and secure rapid liquidity after disasters. It details the application of these pools in disaster risk management, agriculture, and urban resilience, highlighting the role of parametric instruments and catastrophe bonds in protecting sovereign balance sheets.

This research paper examines the systemic vulnerabilities of global pastoral communities and the drivers of conflict associated with their livelihoods. It argues that pastoralists are often politically and economically marginalized, making them susceptible to radicalization and violence, particularly as resource scarcity increases due to climate change and land encroachment. The document proposes a sustainable livelihoods-based framework for conflict analysis and suggests multi-dimensional interventions that integrate pastoralists into wider societal and economic structures while respecting their traditional mobility and resource management practices.

The Peace and Security Council Report No 176 analyzes the outcomes of the 38th AU Summit in February 2025, focusing on leadership transitions, the chairship of Angola, and the ongoing challenges of the 'Silencing the Guns' agenda. It highlights the election of Mahamoud Ali Youssouf as AUC chair and the debate over rotational versus permanent membership in the AU Peace and Security Council (PSC).

This report by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes projects aimed at preventing and countering violent extremism (P/CVE) in Central, East, and West Africa. It identifies critical gaps in funding duration, monitoring and evaluation (M&E) capacity, and the potential for P/CVE labeling to stigmatize target communities, while suggesting a shift toward longer-term funding and greater African state ownership.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies assesses the nuclear security environment in Africa, examining the risks of nuclear material diversion, the status of international and regional security regimes, and the implications of the continent's emerging nuclear energy programs.

This monograph captures the proceedings of a seminar held in Pretoria on 18-19 April 2000, titled "Security in Africa: French and South African Perspectives." The document explores the intersection of national identity, human security, governance, and economic development, with a specific focus on the evolving roles of France and South Africa in African security. It analyzes various conflict zones, including the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Lesotho, and West Africa, while evaluating the effectiveness of regional and international intervention frameworks such as the UN, OAU, SADC, and ECOWAS.

This policy brief, produced by the Institute for Security Studies as part of the African Futures Project, uses the International Futures (IFs) model to analyze the impact of improving water and sanitation access across Africa. It argues that an aggressive annual improvement rate of just under 2 percentage points could significantly reduce child malnutrition and infant mortality, increase GDP, and lower the probability of state failure by 2050.

The August 2023 issue of the Peace and Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the African Union's (AU) struggle to prevent unconstitutional changes of government (UCGs), the need to reform the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA), the recruitment of child soldiers by ISWAP in the Lake Chad Basin, and the outcomes of the 2023 Russia-Africa Summit.

The October 2023 Peace and Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the systemic weaknesses of the African Union (AU), the escalating conflict in Ethiopia's Amhara region, the challenges facing the AU Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), and the broader implications of withdrawing peacekeepers from African conflicts. It also discusses the AU's new membership in the G20.

This October 2015 report from the Institute for Security Studies examines the relationship between the African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN), focusing on peacekeeping funding, counter-terrorism efforts, and specific crises in South Sudan, Mali, and Somalia. It also analyzes the risks associated with a series of upcoming elections across the African continent.

This report by the Alliance for Rural Electrification (ARE) argues that gender equality is a necessary catalyst for achieving universal energy access by 2030. It provides a business case for integrating gender-sensitive approaches into the decentralised renewable energy (DRE) sector, offering recommendations for companies, civil society organisations (CSOs), and investors, alongside 17 case studies demonstrating best practices in community empowerment, organisational diversity, and gender-lens investing.