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This report from the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the activities and structural challenges of the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC). It evaluates the performance of the fifth Panel of the Wise, the coordination between the PSC and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the resurgence of mercenarism in Africa, and the underutilization of policing in peace support operations. Additionally, it outlines the priorities of Cameroon during its chairship of the PSC.

This fact sheet by Zero Carbon Analytics explains the mechanics, predictions, and regional impacts of La Niña, the cool phase of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle. It details the likelihood of a transition to La Niña in 2024, the increasing frequency of multi-year events, and how human-caused climate change influences these phenomena without offsetting overall global warming.

This policy brief from the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the rising public debt burden in Africa, the complexities of its current composition, and the necessary reforms to the global financial architecture. It argues that while the G20 has established mechanisms like the Common Framework and the Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI), these are insufficient. The document proposes that the African Union (AU), as a new permanent member of the G20, should advocate for an African Credit Rating Agency, an African Debt Monitoring Mechanism, and a more inclusive debt restructuring process that includes private creditors and provides longer repayment periods.

The December 2023/January 2024 edition of the Peace & Security Council Report evaluates the African Union's (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC) performance in 2023, highlighting a trend toward discussing thematic issues over sensitive country crises. It examines the challenges of consensus-based decision-making, the upcoming 2024 AU chairship and PSC membership elections, and the potential impact of the UN's New Agenda for Peace on African security architecture.

This background note provides energy production and demand forecasts for Africa and the global community up to 2043, based on the International Futures (IFs) forecasting platform. It details the transition of energy sources, the growth of African energy demand driven by population increases, and the status of fossil fuel reserves and renewable energy projects across the continent.

This background note from the Institute for Security Studies analyzes Africa's energy export and import trends under a 'Current Path' forecast up to 2043, highlighting the contrast between a few major energy exporters and a majority of countries dependent on imports.

The November 2023 Peace & Security Council Report examines the diplomatic implications of the first Saudi-Africa summit, the coordination between the AU Peace and Security Council (PSC) and the UN Security Council's A3 members, the precarious state of South Sudan's transition toward elections, and the AU's efforts to integrate youth into peacebuilding and economic integration via AfCFTA.

This report examines the relationship between the African Union (AU) and civil society organisations (CSOs) over the last 20 years, focusing on governance, peace, and security. While the AU has established institutional frameworks to facilitate engagement, the report finds that CSO participation remains unpredictable and often restricted, particularly in political processes and high-level summits. It highlights the critical technical and research contributions of CSOs while identifying systemic barriers, including shrinking civic space in member states and bureaucratic hurdles within AU organs like ECOSOCC.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs evaluates the effectiveness of African Union (AU) mechanisms, specifically the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) and the Africa Governance Report (AGR), in improving governance across Africa. The author concludes that governance standards have generally remained static or declined since 1996, and that while APRM membership correlates with better performance, the review process itself does not guarantee improvement.

The World Resources Institute outlines four key demands from the ACT2025 consortium for COP28: advancing ambition to limit warming to 1.5°C through a 43% emissions cut by 2030; scaling up people-centered adaptation; operationalizing loss and damage institutions; and mobilizing trillions in climate finance to replace the insufficient billion-dollar commitments.

This report analyzes the 2022 activities of United Nations Human Rights Treaty Bodies (HRTBs) regarding state obligations in the context of climate change. It tracks the increasing frequency of climate-related recommendations in state review processes and examines specific trends in mitigation, fossil fuel regulation, adaptation, and the protection of vulnerable groups, including Indigenous Peoples and persons with disabilities.

This report by the Global Center on Adaptation and the Climate and Development Knowledge Network documents 19 locally led adaptation (LLA) initiatives globally. It emphasizes the importance of devolving decision-making to the lowest appropriate level, addressing structural inequalities (particularly for women and Indigenous Peoples), and providing patient, predictable funding. The document highlights how communities use ecosystem restoration, circular economy practices, and intergenerational collaboration to build resilience, while calling for a shift in climate finance to better support holistic, community-defined priorities.

The Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) has issued a call for concept notes for its 'From Knowledge to Action' program, which provides grants to African organizations to support locally-led, inclusive, and climate-resilient actions by mobilizing indigenous and local knowledge.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the African Union's (AU) role in supporting security sector reform (SSR) across its member states. It identifies critical gaps in coordination between the AU and other international partners, as well as internal resource constraints, and proposes strategies to enhance political buy-in, civil society engagement, and institutional alignment to ensure SSR processes are sustainable and reflect national priorities.

The November 2022 Peace & Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies examines political instability in Tunisia, counter-terrorism strategies in the Sahel, and the security risks posed by acute food insecurity across Africa.

The 'Landscape of Climate Finance in Africa' report by the Climate Policy Initiative provides a baseline assessment of climate finance flows into and within African countries for 2019 and 2020. It highlights a massive gap between the annual USD 277 billion required to implement Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and the actual annual flows of USD 29.5 billion. The report analyzes the sources, instruments, and sectoral allocations of this finance, noting a heavy reliance on international public funding and a significant under-investment in adaptation and the agriculture, forestry, and other land use (AFOLU) sectors compared to their needs.

The July 2022 Peace & Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the complexities of Africa's regional economic communities (RECs), the partnership between the United Nations and the African Union (AU), the identity crisis of the African Standby Force (ASF), and the systemic challenges in eradicating extreme poverty across the continent.

This background report from the Institute for Security Studies examines the historical, political, and geostrategic context of the Horn of Africa. It details the region's prevalence of inter-state and intra-state conflicts, the impact of forced displacement, and the significant influence of foreign military and economic interests from global powers and Gulf states on regional stability and development.

The report estimates that implementing Africa's NDCs from 2020 to 2030 will cost USD 2.8 trillion, with a funding gap of USD 2.5 trillion. Current annual flows of USD 30 billion meet only 12% of the required USD 250 billion annual need. Mitigation accounts for 66% of needs, while adaptation accounts for 24%, though the latter is likely underestimated.

This report by FSD Africa and Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) analyzes the climate finance needs of African countries based on their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). It estimates that implementing these NDCs between 2020 and 2030 will cost USD 2.8 trillion, with a funding gap of USD 2.5 trillion that must be met by international and private sources. The report highlights significant data gaps in adaptation needs and sectoral disaggregation, and recommends that the UNFCCC provide standardized guidance to help countries develop robust, bottom-up financing roadmaps.