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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 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.

This market scoping study by Nathan Associates for FSD Africa examines the agricultural equipment leasing landscape in eight sub-Saharan African countries. It identifies systemic market failures across supply, demand, support functions, and regulatory environments that hinder the growth of leasing as an alternative to traditional asset financing for farmers and SMEs.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies examines the African Union's (AU) efforts to engage youth in democratic governance. It argues that while normative frameworks like the African Youth Charter and the African Governance Architecture–Youth Engagement Strategy (AGA–YES) exist, there is a significant gap between these theoretical rights and the practical reality for young Africans, who often face unemployment and political marginalisation.

This fact sheet from the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) outlines the evolution of China-Africa relations, tracing them from historical ties to contemporary economic, diplomatic, and security partnerships. It highlights the role of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and the shift in China's approach from 'non-interference' to active engagement in peace and security, while noting the impact of China's 'new normal' economic slowdown on bilateral trade and investment.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies examines the gap between Africa's formal legal frameworks for freedom of movement and their actual implementation. While the African Union and various Regional Economic Communities have established treaties to leverage migration for development, national interests and securitized approaches often hinder progress, with West Africa currently serving as the continent's best practice model.

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 report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) estimates the public and private investment required to end hunger by 2030, defining the goal as reducing the hungry population to less than 5 per cent of a country's population.

This report analyzes the East African Community's (EAC) attempts to resolve the political crisis in Burundi triggered by President Pierre Nkurunziza's bid for a third term in 2016. It details the internal divisions among EAC member states, the failure of various diplomatic facilitation efforts, and the resulting political deadlock.

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.

The July 2016 Peace & Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the 27th AU Summit in Kigali, the election of the African Union Commission (AUC) leadership, the limited powers of the AUC chairperson, and the Peace and Security Council's (PSC) engagement with various African conflicts, including the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) and crises in Burundi and the DRC.

This research paper evaluates Africa's prospects for achieving universal access to safe water, adequate sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) by 2030, as outlined in Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6. Using the International Futures (IFs) forecasting system, the authors compare a 'Current Path' (business-as-usual) against two alternative scenarios: 'Universal Access' (an aggressive push for 97% coverage) and 'Balancing WASH' (a moderate approach based on 2015 baselines). The analysis highlights the massive infrastructure investment required, the potential for significant economic and human development gains, and the risk of spending trade-offs that could undermine health and education goals.

This policy brief examines the misuse of electric shock equipment by law enforcement agencies in Africa, arguing that such tools often facilitate torture and ill-treatment in violation of international and regional human rights frameworks. It specifically analyzes the legal landscape of anti-torture commitments in Africa and provides a detailed case study on the South African Police Service (SAPS), recommending the prohibition of handheld and body-worn electric shock devices.

In a 2016 address, SAIIA National Chairman Fred T Phaswana discusses the intersection of South Africa's domestic political and economic crises with global instability. He highlights the erosion of South Africa's international leadership due to internal corruption and poor growth, while contrasting these failures with the success of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Programme (REI4P) and global multilateral agreements on climate and development.

This case study describes a partnership between the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) and the telecommunications company MTN to develop a security and intelligence system for operations in volatile markets.

This research paper analyzes three major Chinese foreign policy initiatives—the Maritime Silk Road, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), and expanded UN peacekeeping contributions—and evaluates their implications for Africa and the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). The author argues that while China is increasing its infrastructure and security investments in Africa, particularly on the east coast, the continent remains secondary to China's strategic interests in Asia and Europe.

This report from the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the activities and challenges of the African Union's (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC) leading into 2016. It focuses on the AU's shifting emphasis toward human rights, the upcoming 2016 elections for the PSC and AU Commission, and the council's mixed success in managing conflicts in Burundi, South Sudan, Somalia, and Burkina Faso. The document also explores the persistent linguistic divide between anglophone and francophone member states and the evolving partnership between the AU and the United Nations.

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.