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This research paper examines the failure of security sector reform in South Sudan, specifically the inability to unify various armed groups into a single national force. It highlights how a militarised political culture and internal opposition disputes, such as the attempted ouster of Vice President Riek Machar, create instability and hinder the implementation of the 2018 Revitalised Agreement for the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS).

The September 2021 Peace & Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies examines critical stability challenges across Africa, focusing on the appointment of a high representative for the Horn of Africa, the diplomatic rift between Algeria and Morocco, the prevalence of enforced disappearances, security sector reform failures in South Sudan, and Sudan's decision to surrender Omar al-Bashir to the International Criminal Court.

The report analyzes the impact of President Felix Tshisekedi's 'sacred union' coalition on the Democratic Republic of the Congo's path toward the 2023 elections. While the coalition has given the president a parliamentary majority, the report highlights deep-seated distrust in the electoral system and the risk that reforms to the electoral laws and the CENI commission may be superficial or manipulated to ensure the president's re-election. It also discusses the contentious debate over a population census and the ongoing security crisis in the eastern DRC, specifically in North Kivu and Ituri.

This August 2021 issue of the Peace & Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the African Union's (AU) handling of the political transition in Chad, the diplomatic divide over Israel's accreditation to the AU, and the coordination of military interventions in Mozambique. It also provides commentary on the geopolitical rivalry between Western powers and China/Russia in Africa and an interview on the role of culture in peacebuilding.

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.

The June 2021 Peace & Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the African Union's (AU) role in managing crises in the Central African Republic, Sudan, and Chad, while analyzing the institutional challenges of the Pan-African Parliament and the strategic partnership between the AU and the United Nations.

This policy brief examines the role of youth-led organisations, specifically the Youth Network for the Lake Chad Region (YoNeLCR), in peacebuilding and stabilisation efforts within the Lake Chad Basin. It analyzes how the COVID-19 pandemic hindered these initiatives through movement restrictions and funding cuts, while also identifying opportunities for youth to engage with regional bodies like the African Union and the Lake Chad Basin Commission to enhance community resilience against the Boko Haram insurgency.

This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies outlines a multi-dimensional strategy to stabilise Mozambique's Cabo Delgado province. It argues that while regional military support from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) is a starting point, long-term stability requires a people-centric approach addressing governance failures, poverty, and radicalisation, rather than a purely security-focused response.

The April 2021 Peace & Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the operational challenges of the newly merged African Union Political Affairs, Peace and Security (PAPS) department, the diplomatic deadlock over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), and governance crises in Senegal, Benin, Cameroon, and Chad.

The report argues that the 2019 Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in the Central African Republic has failed due to a lack of implementation and the continued dominance of armed groups. It highlights a 'war economy' that incentivizes instability and notes that the state remains unable to provide its own security, relying on UN troops and bilateral support from Russia and Rwanda. The author calls for a new, holistic approach that prioritizes regional cooperation and economic reconstruction over simple power-sharing agreements.

The March 2021 Peace & Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies examines several critical security and financial challenges facing the African Union (AU), including the Ethiopia–Sudan border dispute, the insurgency in Mozambique, the AU's financial dependence on external partners, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) impasse, and the transition of AMISOM in Somalia.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) and the Western Cape Government examines the impact of South Africa's 2020 COVID-19 lockdown on violence and policing, specifically focusing on 11 police areas in Cape Town. Using murder data, interviews, and a survey of over 5,000 residents, the study identifies a strong correlation between alcohol bans and the reduction of sharp-object murders and fatal violence against women, while finding that firearm-related murders remained largely unaffected by lockdown restrictions.

This report examines the processes and challenges of disengagement for ex-Boko Haram associates in the Lake Chad Basin, analyzing the motivations for leaving the group and the varying national approaches to rehabilitation and reintegration in Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies analyses the roles and motivations of women associated with katiba Macina in Mali and Boko Haram in Niger. It details how these violent extremist groups (VEGs) utilise women for recruitment, logistics, intelligence, and operational tasks, while examining the diverse pathways—ranging from voluntary association to kidnapping—that lead women into these groups.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies examines the divergent approaches to migration between Africa and Europe, arguing for a shift from securitised responses toward a collaborative partnership focused on development, legal labour pathways, and the regularisation of remittances.

This policy brief examines the African Union's iDove initiative, a youth-led platform designed to prevent violent extremism (PVE) through intra/interfaith dialogue. It analyzes the initiative's sustainability and adaptability in Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the shift toward virtual engagement and the need for greater integration into continental policy frameworks.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) analyzes how violence against women and children (VAWC) in South Africa is represented across 57 research papers. Using a feminist 'What is the Problem Represented to Be?' (WPR) approach, the study examines the terminology, framing, and demographic focus of existing research to identify how these representations influence policy and practice.

This policy brief argues that there is a critical lack of evidence demonstrating that policing activities in South Africa actually reduce crime or improve public safety. It advocates for the adoption of evidence-based policing (EBP), which uses rigorous research and causal analysis to determine which specific police interventions work, rather than relying on common sense or tradition.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the process of developing Common African Positions (CAPs) within the African Union (AU) to enable the continent to speak with one voice in global diplomacy. While highlighting successful examples like the Post-2015 Development Agenda, the author identifies systemic challenges including a lack of member state ownership, over-dependence on external funding, and disconnects between AU headquarters and multilateral diplomatic hubs.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the evolution of countering violent extremism (CVE) in Kenya, moving from primarily military-based responses to a multi-sectoral approach. It evaluates the experiences of state and non-state actors, the implementation of the National Strategy to Counter Violent Extremism (NSCVE), and the development of County Action Plans (CAPs) in high-risk regions.