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This report from the Institute for Security Studies provides a retrospective of the African Union Peace and Security Council (PSC) for the term April 2016 to March 2018, analyzes the role of South Africa and Nigeria in continental initiatives like the AfCFTA, and features an interview with Morocco's Minister of Foreign Affairs regarding its entry into the PSC.

This issue brief examines how climate change impacts United States national security, detailing the Department of Defense's (DOD) conceptualization of climate change as a 'threat multiplier' and the resulting operational, infrastructural, and geopolitical challenges. It outlines the adaptation and mitigation strategies adopted by the DOD and other security agencies, while analyzing the role of Congressional legislation and funding in shaping these efforts.

This research paper examines the history and systemic challenges of sexual abuse and exploitation perpetrated by United Nations peacekeepers. It details the 'food-for-sex' scandals, the legal hurdles preventing the UN from prosecuting troops due to national jurisdiction, and the policy responses implemented to combat these crimes, including Resolution 2272.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the African Union's (AU) use of mediation as a conflict-prevention tool. It analyzes the institutional gaps, the tension between formal and informal approaches, and the need for a more structured, long-term strategy to address the root causes of conflict in Africa.

This policy brief analyzes the evolving migration relations between the African Union (AU) and the European Union (EU) leading up to the November 2017 AU-EU Summit in Abidjan. It highlights a fundamental mismatch in priorities: the EU focuses on stemming irregular migration and border control, while African nations prioritize development, employment, and the management of remittances. The author critiques the EU's use of aid conditionality through the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa (EUTF) and notes the lack of a unified African position on migration, which weakens the continent's leverage in bilateral and international negotiations.

This research paper by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) analyzes South Africa's immigration regime and its impact on African economic migrants. It examines the tension between the government's desire to attract highly skilled talent and its efforts to deter irregular, semi-skilled migration. The paper evaluates the 2016 Green Paper on International Migration, noting its potential to streamline some processes while criticizing its regressive proposals for asylum seekers. It also compares South African policies with those of the European Union and discusses the role of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in regional migration governance.

This research paper by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) identifies five critical success factors for increasing the climate resilience of water infrastructure. Based on a review of six projects across Africa, South Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean, the paper argues that resilience requires moving beyond engineering design to include strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, and institutional capacity building to avoid 'stranded assets' and protect economic growth.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the agenda for the 29th African Union (AU) Summit, the operational challenges of the African Standby Force (ASF), and the Peace and Security Council's (PSC) decision-making trends. It specifically examines the political crises in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan, as well as counter-terrorism efforts in the Sahel and Somalia.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the diverse and often indirect roles women play in violent extremist organisations in Kenya, specifically al-Shabaab. Based on 108 interviews, it argues that women provide an 'invisible infrastructure' of support, acting as recruiters, spies, and facilitators, while direct perpetration of violence remains limited. The document identifies a complex interplay of drivers for women's involvement, including personal relationships, economic hardship, government neglect, and the influence of radical religious teachings.

This report examines the specific impacts of violent extremism on women in Kenya and evaluates the gender sensitivity of national and local responses. Based on 108 interviews, it argues that current counter-terrorism and prevention efforts are largely gender-neutral, failing to address the unique psychological, physical, and economic vulnerabilities of women.

This research paper by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) examines the governance of marine and coastal resources in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region. It advocates for the adoption of integrated spatial planning, ecosystem-based management, and inclusive, community-led conservation models to support a sustainable 'Blue Economy'. The author emphasizes that marine conservation must be integrated with socio-economic development agendas to ensure the resilience of biodiversity and the livelihoods of coastal populations.

This policy brief examines the relationship between natural resource extraction and the funding of four violent extremist groups in Africa: al-Shabaab, the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), the Janjaweed militia, and Boko Haram. It finds that while some groups rely heavily on illicit trade in charcoal, ivory, or gold, others have little to no connection to resource extraction.

The April 2017 PSC Report examines the AU's struggle to manage the Western Sahara crisis amid Morocco's readmission, the systemic failures of the Continental Early Warning System due to member state denialism, and the precarious security environments in Darfur, Mali, and Somalia. It also highlights a trend of democratic backsliding in Africa, characterized by the removal of presidential term limits and the shrinking of political space.

This research paper discusses the transition of leadership at the African Union Commission (AUC) following the election of Moussa Faki Mahamat as Chairperson on 30 January 2017. It analyzes the challenges facing the new chair, including the need for financial independence from international donors, the implementation of institutional reforms, and the management of peace and security crises across the continent.

The document summarizes the conclusions of a seminar held on 9 December 2016 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, focused on assistance and capacity-building for the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1540, disarmament, and non-proliferation of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) weapons in Africa.

The December 2016 Peace & Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies evaluates the African Union's (AU) role in managing continental crises. It finds that the Peace and Security Council (PSC) often relied on regional bodies rather than leading interventions. Key issues discussed include the impact of land privatisation and climate change in Kenya's Kajiado County, the contested nature of several 2016 national elections, and the AU's efforts to promote women's rights despite a perceived failure to challenge dictatorial regimes. The report also details the funding struggles of AMISOM in Somalia and the diplomatic complexities surrounding Morocco's request to rejoin the AU.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies evaluates the Khartoum Process, a partnership between the European Union and East and North African states designed to tackle human smuggling and trafficking. The author argues that the process is overly securitised, lacks transparency, and risks empowering authoritarian regimes in the Horn of Africa while ignoring the root causes of migration and the human rights of migrants.

This case study by the Institute for Security Studies examines the integration of women into the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) and the broader security sector. It analyzes the gap between formal policy frameworks—including the 2010 Constitution and UN Security Council Resolution 1325—and the practical reality of gender inequality, patriarchal institutional culture, and the limited advancement of women into combat and leadership roles.

This World Resources Institute working paper analyzes the alignment between the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) submitted under the Paris Agreement and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda. By mapping climate actions across 92 INDCs, the authors demonstrate that climate policies often generate mutual benefits for sustainable development, though these synergies are frequently unrecognized or uncoordinated at the national level due to institutional silos.

The August 2016 Peace & Security Council Report details the outcomes of the 27th AU Summit in Kigali, focusing on the deadlock in electing a new AU Commission chairperson, a historic agreement on AU self-financing, and the AU's strained relationship with the International Criminal Court (ICC). It also analyzes the security crises in South Sudan, Libya, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.