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This policy brief examines the approach of AVIC International, a Chinese state-owned company, toward local skills development in Kenya. It argues that AVIC treats skills development as a top business priority, utilizing a flexible 'industrial bootstrapping' approach to create a variety of for-profit and CSR programs. While participants report high satisfaction and improved perceptions of Chinese firms, tangible outcomes such as machinery utilization and widespread job creation remain limited.

This policy brief examines the integration of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) into Africa, focusing on the shift from resource trade to infrastructure and industrial cooperation. It highlights the opportunities for regional integration and industrialization, while warning of the financial risks associated with debt-based lending and the need for African governments to ensure project viability and local capacity building.

This research paper by Elizabeth Sidiropoulos and Ross Herbert examines the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), a voluntary governance assessment tool launched by the African Union in 2002 under the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD). The authors analyze the APRM's structure, its five-stage review process, and the varying degrees of civil society involvement in early participating countries, while highlighting the critical importance of publishing final reports to ensure government accountability.

This research paper analyzes the macroeconomic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Senegal and evaluates the fiscal and monetary policy responses implemented to mitigate economic decline. It provides a historical overview of Senegal's economic crises and structural adjustments from the 1970s through 2019 to establish a baseline for the pandemic's effects.

This report details Austria's diplomatic, trade, and development relations with Africa, particularly in the context of its 2006 European Union Council presidency. It outlines Austria's strategic focus on North Africa via the European Neighbourhood Partnership, its limited trade with the continent compared to the EU, and its targeted development assistance in East and Southern Africa.

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 research paper by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) analyzes the development of the UN Global Compact for Migration (GCM) and the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR). It examines the differences between the two frameworks, the challenges of defining 'migrants' versus 'refugees', and the specific risks associated with the low level of participation from African states in the GCM process.

This policy briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs analyzes the political economy of peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), arguing that regional peace agreements are shaped by the shifting economic power between the eastern Kivus and the southern Katanga province.

This policy briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) argues for a re-invention of partnerships in Africa's extractive governance to drive inclusive and sustainable socio-economic transformation. It emphasizes the need for shared values, reciprocal responsibilities, and the alignment of national, regional, and continental visions—specifically the African Union's Agenda 2063 and the Africa Mining Vision (AMV)—to move Africa beyond being a mere supplier of raw materials toward value-addition and beneficiation.

This policy briefing examines the role and challenges of National Governing Councils (NGCs) within the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM). Based on a February 2015 workshop, the document argues that while NGCs are essential for developing Country Self-Assessment Reports (CSAR) and National Programmes of Action (NPoAs), a lack of standardized guidelines regarding their composition, funding, and legal status hinders their effectiveness and independence from political interference.

This policy briefing, published by the South African Institute of International Affairs in October 2015, compares the Open Government Partnership (OGP) with other international peer-review mechanisms, including the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), the UN's Universal Periodic Review (UPR), and the OECD's Anti-Bribery Convention Review (OECDA). It argues that the OGP's flexible, civil-society-led approach offers unique benefits for transparency and governance, and suggests that African nations should seek OGP membership and harmonise it with existing review obligations.

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 research paper examines the risk of stranded assets in Africa's extractives sectors as the global economy transitions toward low-carbon energy and a circular economy. It analyzes the economic threats to fossil-fuel-dependent nations, the potential for 'premature deindustrialisation', and the opportunities presented by the rising demand for critical minerals. The author argues for a 'just transition' that prioritizes social and developmental goals through economic diversification and improved governance to avoid the 'resource curse'.

SEforALL's Theory of Change focuses on five outcomes to achieve SDG7: gender mainstreaming, global commitments, policy standards, financial flows, and direct energy connections. Key achievements include securing over USD 600 billion via Energy Compacts, supporting national energy plans in Nigeria and Rwanda, and delivering direct electricity connections to over 3,000 people in Madagascar.

This executive summary, published by Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), updates the 2018 'Chilling Prospects' study by analyzing cooling access across 52 climate-exposed countries. It advocates for a needs-based approach to sustainable cooling to protect vulnerable populations, ensure food and medicine security, and align with the Kigali Amendment and the Paris Agreement.

This fact sheet by Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) outlines various donor-funded financing programs available for renewable energy manufacturing and clean energy innovation, primarily targeting Africa and other developing regions.

The G20 Energy Access Action Plan is a multi-phase voluntary collaboration framework designed to strengthen G20 member cooperation on energy access. The first phase specifically targets improving electricity access in sub-Saharan Africa through six strategic pillars: policy and regulatory environments, technology deployment, investment and finance, capacity building, regional integration, and coordination. The plan emphasizes sharing knowledge and good practices while respecting the sovereign right of nations to determine their own energy mix.

This knowledge brief by Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) examines the integration of electric cooking (eCooking) into national energy access planning for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). It argues that while electrification has progressed faster than clean cooking access, integrating the two through holistic energy planning can accelerate the transition to clean energy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and improve health outcomes. The document reviews various modelling tools, data requirements, and policy mechanisms—such as eCooking tariffs and results-based financing—necessary to operationalize integrated energy plans.

This guidebook by Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) provides a comprehensive overview of career pathways in the sustainable energy and international development sectors. It details the organizational structure of SEforALL, outlining roles within internal operations and external programmes, and offers guidance on the educational backgrounds, technical skills, and soft skills required for interns and analysts. The document also describes SEforALL's remote recruitment process and its commitment to diversity and inclusion in the green energy workforce.

This document is a book of abstracts from the Science and Research Symposium, a segment of the first-ever Global Sustainable Blue Economy Conference (SBEC) held in Nairobi, Kenya, from November 26th to 28th, 2018. It compiles nearly seventy abstracts submitted by global scholars and practitioners, focusing on the role of scientific research, technology, and innovation in harnessing the Blue Economy sustainably. The abstracts are organized into thematic areas including sustainable resource use, climate action resilience, global connectivity and transportation, and sustainable cities, with an additional focus on human resource capacity.