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This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the development financing gap facing African countries during their COVID-19 recovery. It argues that African nations lack the fiscal space available to advanced economies, facing high debt burdens and unfair credit ratings. The document proposes that the G20 and other development partners implement coordinated debt relief, reallocate resources to de-risk private investment, and establish fairer credit rating mechanisms to support sustainable economic transformation.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the G20/OECD Inclusive Framework's 'Two-Pillar Solution' to address tax avoidance and the digitalisation of the economy. It argues that the current global taxation framework is fragmented, allowing multinational corporations to avoid taxes through profit shifting and the lack of physical presence. The document highlights that developing countries, particularly in Africa, suffer disproportionate revenue losses as a share of GDP and are underrepresented in the negotiations of the global tax deal. It calls for greater transparency, fairer thresholds for profit reallocation, and the potential move of negotiations to a neutral body like the United Nations to ensure equitable outcomes for poorer nations.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) provides guidance and lessons for Southern African Development Community (SADC) member states on enhancing their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). It emphasizes the need for inclusive stakeholder engagement, alignment with long-term development goals, and the use of quantifiable targets and evidence-based analysis to increase climate ambition and ensure effective implementation.

This research paper by the Africa Policy Research Institute argues that Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) must leverage the global clean energy transition to drive industrialization and address severe energy deficits. The author proposes that the region utilize a combination of green industrial policies, strategic use of natural gas for baseload power, and the leveraging of critical mineral reserves to move up the global value chain, while insisting that the transition must account for the economic differences between developed and developing nations.

This report by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) identifies perceived knowledge gaps and barriers hindering the adoption of 'gridless' (decentralized) water, sanitation, and energy services. Based on workshops with 48 global stakeholders, the report argues that project failures often stem from socio-technical and systemic issues—such as regulatory mismatches, lack of user-centric design, and unsustainable business models—rather than technical performance.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the strategic partnership between India and Africa, arguing that security cooperation remains an under-exploited pillar compared to trade and investment. It advocates for a comprehensive shared security agenda centered on the African Union to enhance mutual stability and development.

This fact sheet provides a summary of the Zero Hunger Private Sector Pledge as of May 24, 2022, listing the financial commitments and geographic focus of 43 participating companies.

A case study on Climate Investor Two, a fund managed by a consortium including Climate Fund Managers and FMO to manage the EUR 160 million Dutch Fund for Climate and Development, focusing on water, oceans, and sanitation infrastructure in low- and lower middle-income countries.

This case study describes the African Risk Capacity (ARC), a sovereign risk pool and early response mechanism that provides drought insurance to African Union member states to protect food security for vulnerable populations.

This case study describes TCX, a currency hedging solution designed to reduce currency and interest risk for energy and climate investments in developing countries by enabling long-term finance in local currencies.

The R4 Rural Resilience Initiative, launched in 2011 by the World Food Program and Oxfam America, integrates risk reduction, transfer, taking, and reserves to improve food and income security for farmers facing climate risks.

This policy brief by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines the political challenges hindering the coordination of climate finance at both global and national levels. It focuses on the overlapping roles of the Climate Investment Funds (CIF) and the Green Climate Fund (GCF), and how domestic bureaucratic politics in recipient countries like Kenya and Zambia affect the implementation of climate finance.

The 'Just Recovery Renewable Energy Plan for Africa' by Friends of the Earth Africa proposes a transition to a 100% renewable energy independent continent by 2050. Based on modelling by Dr. Sven Teske, the plan aims to eliminate energy poverty and address the dual crises of climate change and Covid-19 through a people-centred, democratic energy system that prioritises social justice and gender equity over corporate profit.

This July 2021 issue of the Peace & Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies examines critical security and political challenges across Africa. It focuses on the African Union's (AU) struggle to implement maritime security strategies, the rise of cybercrime and the legislative responses in South Africa, the ten-year legacy of the Arab Spring in North Africa, and the impact of the June 2021 elections on Ethiopia's structural divisions.

This research paper assesses the implications of the African Peer Review Mechanism's (APRM) Expanded Mandate, a series of decisions taken between 2016 and 2019 to revitalise the agency. While the expansion has renewed momentum and increased membership, the author argues that the APRM must now consolidate these gains to avoid distracting from its core mission of comprehensive country reviews.

This briefing describes the experience of civil society organisations (CSOs) in Botswana participating in the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) process between 2019 and 2021. It details the Botswana APRM Popular Sensitisation (BAPS) Project, which was led by the Botswana Council of Non-Governmental Organisations (BOCONGO) and the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) to produce a civil society submission on governance.

The report 'Killed by Breathing' analyzes the global crisis of cooking poverty, where 3.83 billion people in 71 countries rely on solid fuels and low-quality stoves. It argues that the current 'clean cooking' sector is not on track to meet Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7) due to fragmented governance, insufficient funding, and a lack of focus on end-user behavior. The authors propose a shift toward the term 'cooking poverty' to reflect the scale of the problem and recommend integrating cooking solutions into existing electrification infrastructure to leverage its finance and technical support systems.

The report 'The Road to Sustainable Transport' examines the environmental and social impacts of global transportation, the evolution of international policy from the 1972 Stockholm Conference to the Sustainable Development Goals, and case studies of sustainable urban mobility. It highlights the role of public transit, non-motorized transport, and electrification in reducing carbon emissions and improving public health, while noting the potential for post-COVID-19 recovery packages to accelerate these transitions.

This policy brief examines the international governance of biosafety, focusing on the 2000 Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. It details the history of modern biotechnology, the tensions between exporting and importing nations regarding genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and the mechanisms used to manage the transboundary movement of living modified organisms (LMOs) to protect biodiversity and human health.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the impact of COVID-19 on agricultural value chains within the Southern African Development Community (SADC). It argues that while the agricultural sector was less severely affected than others, the pandemic exacerbated existing structural weaknesses, such as food insecurity and a heavy reliance on subsistence farming. The document proposes a 'dual approach' to development that supports both small-scale and large-scale commercial farming, alongside the adoption of digital technologies, climate-smart infrastructure, and the full implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to drive regional integration and growth.