Search Climate Insights Directory

This research paper examines the establishment of the South African Development Partnership Agency (SADPA), which is intended to replace the African Renaissance Fund (ARF) and coordinate South Africa's development assistance and foreign policy impact across the African continent.

This report documents a policy dialogue held in Johannesburg on 12 October 2011, co-organized by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) and the European Centre for Development Policy Management (ECDPM). The meeting examined how the entry of emerging powers—specifically China, India, and Brazil (CIB)—affects Africa's relations with the European Union (EU) and other traditional partners, focusing on development strategies, triangular cooperation, natural resource management, and regional infrastructure.

This policy brief by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) and the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) examines the intersection of climate change and poverty reduction. It argues that climate variability hinders the ability of poor populations to escape poverty and threatens the achievement of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The document advocates for integrating climate adaptation into national poverty reduction strategies, investing in evidence-based data, and ensuring that emission mitigation efforts provide tangible co-benefits for the poor.

This policy brief by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) examines the intersection of climate change and poverty reduction. It argues that climate variability hinders the ability of poor populations to escape poverty and threatens the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), particularly in Africa. The document advocates for the integration of climate adaptation into national development strategies, the collection of more conclusive data on climate-poverty links, and a cautious approach to mitigation projects to ensure they provide tangible co-benefits for the poor.

This policy brief argues that climate change hinders the achievement of development goals by disproportionately affecting the 'climate-vulnerable poor'. It calls for the integration of poverty reduction and adaptation strategies, a stronger evidence base on climate-poverty links, and a cautious approach to mitigation that prioritizes developmental co-benefits.

This policy brief by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) examines the intersection of climate change and poverty reduction, arguing that climate instability hinders the achievement of development goals. It advocates for integrating adaptation strategies into national poverty reduction policies and calls for more robust evidence to understand how climate impacts interact with other drivers of poverty.

One year after hosting the 2010 FIFA World Cup, South Africa is urged to leverage the 'soft power' and international prestige gained from the event to address 'hard' geopolitical issues in Africa. The author suggests utilizing South Africa's roles in SADC, the AU, and the UNSC to resolve stalemates in Zimbabwe and Madagascar, and to address conflicts in Somalia, Darfur, and Abyei, while pushing for more decisive African-led solutions to avoid Western intervention as seen in Libya and Cote d’Ivoire.

In a statement delivered on 20 June 2011, Dame Nicola Brewer, the British High Commissioner to South Africa, outlines the evolving relationship between the United Kingdom and South Africa. She emphasizes a shift in the UK's perception of Africa from a 'problem' to a 'partner,' highlighting shared democratic values, economic opportunities, and a commitment to mutual growth and regional integration.

The 'Guía Práctica de Uso de la Orina en la Producción Agrícola' is a comprehensive guide published by the Stockholm Environment Institute that provides technical, economic, and institutional frameworks for using human urine as a sustainable agricultural fertilizer. It details the nutrient composition of urine, application strategies, risk management based on WHO guidelines, and case studies from various global regions to support the transition toward productive sanitation systems.

This policy briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the African Union's (AU) principle of rejecting unconstitutional changes of government. It analyzes the 'democrat's dilemma'—the tension between maintaining constitutional order and supporting popular uprisings against authoritarian regimes—specifically in the context of the 2011 Maghreb revolutions.

A statement by Fred Phaswana, Chairperson of the SAIIA National Council, discussing the role of think tanks in analyzing North African uprisings, the importance of democratic electoral processes in Africa, and South Africa's strategic international engagements in 2011, including its role in the UN Security Council, BRICS, and hosting the 17th UN Conference of the Parties on Climate Change.

This report by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) critiques the World Bank's 3.75 billion dollar loan to Eskom Holding Limited for the Eskom Investment Support Project in South Africa. The authors argue that the Bank failed to comply with its own Operational Policy 10.04 (OP 10.04) by neglecting to fully quantify and incorporate environmental and social externalities—specifically regarding water scarcity, air quality, and transboundary impacts—into the project's Economic Evaluation, thereby overstating the project's net benefits.

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.

This workshop report, compiled by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) and the SADC Gender Alliance, documents a seminar held in November 2010 in Pretoria, South Africa. The event focused on the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 and the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development, examining the gendered dimensions of peace, security, and peacekeeping across Southern and East Africa.

This report summarizes a conference held on May 31, 2011, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, organized by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS). The event brought together experts, diplomats, and academics to analyze the causes and implications of the 2011 popular revolutions in North Africa, specifically in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya, while also examining the situations in Algeria and Morocco and the potential for similar unrest in Sub-Saharan Africa.

This 2011 workshop report by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) evaluates the ten-year implementation of the Southern African Regional Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation (SARPCCO) Code of Conduct. The document details the challenges of institutionalising ethical policing standards across Southern Africa, presents monitoring indicators developed by the African Policing Civilian Oversight Forum (APCOF), and provides country-specific case studies on police reform and human rights compliance.

This report by Friends of the Earth International argues that Jatropha is neither a profitable nor a sustainable investment for biofuel production. It challenges the 'miracle crop' narrative, providing evidence that the plant requires significant inputs to be viable, often competes with food production, and leads to the displacement of local communities and the destruction of biodiversity.

This report examines food security policy responses within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in the context of global food price hikes, analyzing the relationship between regional strategies, intraregional trade, and the Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Program (CAADP).

This research paper by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) details a scenario-planning exercise conducted in May 2010 to explore the future of the Southern African Customs Union (SACU). The authors identify key certainties and uncertainties—such as the impact of the global financial crisis and Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) negotiations—to project four potential futures for the organization, ranging from deeper integration to total collapse.

The National Chairman's Annual Statement 2010 from the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) reviews the global and regional geopolitical landscape following the global financial crisis. It highlights South Africa's role in the G20 and the Copenhagen Climate Change Summit, discusses political instability in Africa—specifically in Zimbabwe, Niger, Nigeria, DRC, and Sudan—and outlines the Zuma administration's foreign policy priorities, including strengthened ties with Angola, Brazil, and the UK.