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This briefing outlines the key agenda items for the 18th African Union (AU) Summit held in Addis Ababa from 23-30 January 2012, including leadership elections, budget approvals, and the inauguration of a new headquarters building.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies examines the potential socio-economic impacts of increasing investment in basic education across Africa. Using the International Futures (IFs) modelling system, the authors simulate a scenario where African nations adopt the enrolment and completion growth rates of the continent's best-performing countries. The analysis suggests that a modest increase in GDP allocation to education could lead to significant long-term gains in GDP, poverty reduction, and public health, although these benefits would be realized over several decades.

This December 2011 report by the Institute for Security Studies provides security analyses and early warning assessments for the African Union Peace and Security Council (PSC). It focuses on the fragile post-election landscape in Liberia, escalating border conflicts and humanitarian crises between Sudan and South Sudan, the expanding threat of Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) across the Sahel, and political instability in Burundi. Additionally, it examines the partnership and occasional divergences between the PSC and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

The June 2011 PSC Report by the Institute for Security Studies provides early warning analysis on security crises in South Sudan, Uganda, and Madagascar, alongside a retrospective on African border disputes and an examination of drug trafficking in West Africa.

This research paper by Ruchita Beri for the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) examines the evolution of India's relations with African nations. It analyzes the transition from an early policy based on ideological support for decolonization and non-alignment to a more pragmatic approach centered on economic diplomacy, energy security, and capacity building. The document details trade growth, diverse investment patterns across various sectors, and technical cooperation initiatives, while discussing the geopolitical drivers and challenges India faces in its engagement with the continent.

A statement by African civil society organizations urging African States Parties to the Rome Statute to maintain their commitment to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and reject an African Union (AU) decision to withhold cooperation in the arrest of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) examines the global state of Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP). It analyzes legal frameworks, national and international programs, and the specific challenges faced by emerging and developing economies in integrating environmental, social, and economic criteria into public purchasing.

This report by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) examines the experiences of South African firms operating in Senegal. It describes Senegal as a stable, democratic gateway to Francophone West Africa with a strong macroeconomic profile, though it notes significant business constraints including rigid labour laws, corruption, and limited local disposable income.

This 2003 research paper outlines the framework of the NEPAD African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), detailing its five-stage review process and the roles of the APR Forum, Panel of Eminent Persons, and APR Secretariat. It emphasizes the distinction between political governance review (handled by AU institutions) and economic/corporate governance review (handled by the NEPAD Secretariat and partners like UNECA). The paper also discusses the integration of the APRM within the broader African Union structure and the proposed mutual accountability between Africa and its international development partners.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) within the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) and its integration with the African Union (AU). It details the APRM's organizational structure, the five-stage country review process, and the challenges of harmonizing political governance assessments with existing AU bodies like the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights.

A statement from the Basel Action Network and other environmental organizations opposing the United States government's intent to selectively ratify the 1989 Basel Convention while refusing to implement the 1995 Basel Ban Amendment.

This research paper assesses Western efforts to develop African peacekeeping capabilities in the late 1990s, specifically focusing on the 'P-3 Initiative' (US, UK, and France) and Danish contributions. The authors argue that while these capacity-building programs provide tangible training and equipment, they are primarily driven by Western domestic political desires to avoid direct military or financial involvement in African conflicts. The document also details the institutional, financial, and operational limitations of African regional bodies like the OAU, SADC, and ECOWAS in managing peace and security independently.

This report by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) proposes ten propositions to help countries integrate their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) into national development planning. Drawing on evidence from seven countries—Bangladesh, Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Pakistan, Peru, and Uganda—the paper argues that successful integration requires a combination of policy coherence, institutional leadership, and transparent resource management to ensure climate actions are not isolated from mainstream economic development.

This concluding chapter of 'Invisible Stakeholders' argues that children and youth in Africa are not merely victims of conflict but active agents of change and transformation. The author contends that viewing them solely as victims obscures the dynamics of conflict and ignores how young people make choices that impact the trajectories of war. The text examines the socio-economic and political drivers of youth mobilization, the failure of disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR) processes, and the influence of global economic structures on African stability.

This 2002 situation report by the Institute for Security Studies provides a detailed overview of refugee and internally displaced person (IDP) populations across Africa. It defines the legal distinctions between refugees and IDPs, provides statistical data on populations of concern to the UNHCR as of 2000/2001, and analyzes regional trends in displacement driven by conflict, drought, and economic decline.

This research paper by Professor Ahmed Mohiddin examines the tendency of executive branches to dominate governance structures in Africa. It analyzes the systemic reasons for this dominance, the capacity failures of legislatures and judiciaries, and the role of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) and civil society in establishing effective checks and balances.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the gap between the African Union's (AU) normative commitments to democracy and human rights and the actual foreign policies of its member states. The author argues that strong sovereignty norms and a state-centric approach have hindered the domestication of human rights, leading to a state of 'stasis' or reversal in several countries. The brief recommends that the AU embrace global partnerships with civil society and that pivotal states like South Africa rejuvenate human rights as a core pillar of their external engagements to ensure continental stability.

This guide describes an economic model developed by Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) and AllOn to analyze the Nigerian solar upstream value chain. The tool evaluates the economic viability, job creation, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions associated with three market scenarios: the importation of products, local assembly, and local manufacturing of solar home systems (SHS) and mini-grids.

This policy brief introduces the Transnational Climate Impacts (TCI) Index, a framework developed by the Stockholm Environment Institute to measure country-level exposure to climate risks that cross national borders. The brief argues that globalization connects countries through biophysical, financial, human, and trade pathways, meaning that even wealthy nations with low direct physical vulnerability can be highly exposed to transnational climate risks. It recommends that the UNFCCC and national governments integrate these transnational dimensions into adaptation planning and finance to ensure global economic stability.

This report chapter outlines a conceptual framework for 'empowerment pathways' to transform gender relations in Sub-Saharan Africa's smallholder farming sector. It argues that sustainable change requires a multi-dimensional approach addressing individual agency, social and legal structures, and collective relations, while actively engaging men as allies to move from 'power over' to 'power with' dynamics.