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A briefing on the territorial dispute between Malawi and Tanzania over Lake Malawi, focusing on the disagreement regarding the mediation process and the structural limitations of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in resolving such conflicts.

This briefing from the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the limitations of the African Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson's role upon the appointment of Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and examines the political instability in Libya following the dismissal of Prime Minister Mustafa Abu Shagur.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the political and security crisis in Mali following the March 2012 coup d'état. It examines the challenges of the transitional government, the efforts to manage the insurgency in northern Mali, the necessity of rebuilding the Malian army, and the complexities of planning an international military intervention and presidential elections.

The October 2012 Peace and Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies provides detailed country analyses of Somalia, South Sudan, and Côte d’Ivoire, focusing on political transitions, security vulnerabilities, and the role of regional and international bodies in stabilizing these nations.

This October 2012 report by the Institute for Security Studies provides early warning analysis and country-specific assessments for Somalia, South Sudan, and Côte d'Ivoire, focusing on political transitions, security architecture, and regional stability within the framework of the African Union's Peace and Security Council (PSC).

Briefing on the election of Hassan Sheikh Mohamud as President of Somalia on 10 September 2012, detailing his background in civil society and the significant state-building and security challenges he faces.

This policy brief examines the delays in operationalising the African Standby Force (ASF), an African Union (AU) mechanism designed for rapid response to violent armed conflicts in Africa. Despite multiple roadmaps and timelines (2005, 2008, 2010), the force remained non-operational as of 2012, with a revised target of 2015. The author identifies systemic failures in political command, logistical infrastructure, and institutional capacity, arguing that the AU has relied too heavily on ad hoc missions rather than using actual deployments to refine the ASF architecture.

The September 2012 Peace and Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies provides analysis on early warning issues in Africa, focusing on the electoral risks in Kenya, the democratic transition in Egypt, and a retrospective of the 19th African Union (AU) Summit.

This policy brief explores the potential for a 'Green Revolution' in Africa, using the International Futures (IFs) model to compare scenarios of agricultural intensification. The authors argue that while aggressive policy interventions could make Africa a net food exporter and significantly boost GDP, such production increases must be coupled with social policies to ensure food access for the poor and improvements in water and sanitation to realize human development gains.

On 20 August 2012, 215 parliamentarians were sworn in at the Mogadishu airport, marking the first such ceremony on Somali soil in over two decades and a key milestone in ending the country's transitional period.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies critiques the 2012 SADC Ordinary Summit in Maputo, arguing that the organization is increasingly neglecting security and political governance in favor of economic integration. The author contends that this separation ignores the necessary links between political stability and economic development, leaving critical governance crises and security frameworks unaddressed in the summit's agenda.

This briefing from the Institute for Security Studies addresses two distinct regional security issues: a renewed border dispute between Malawi and Tanzania over Lake Malawi triggered by oil and gas exploration, and the urgent need for security sector reform in Côte d'Ivoire following sporadic attacks by armed groups.

This research paper examines the origins and impact of the International Criminal Court (ICC) cases in Kenya following the 2007-2008 post-election violence. It details the failure of domestic attempts to establish a Special Tribunal, the subsequent ICC investigations, and the confirmation of charges against four high-level Kenyan figures. The author assesses the ICC's role in terms of complementarity, deterrence, and retributive justice, while situating these legal processes within the broader framework of the Kenya National Dialogue and Reconciliation (KNDR) agreements.

This August 2012 report by the Institute for Security Studies provides early warning analyses on political and security crises in Mali, Libya, Angola, and Somalia, while examining the evolving role of China in African peace and security efforts.

This briefing note from the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) summarizes a daily meeting held on July 18, 2012, in Pretoria. The primary focus of the session was the election of South Africa's Home Affairs Minister, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, as the head of the African Union (AU) Commission and the potential implications of her leadership.

This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies discusses the United Nations Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) held in July 2012. It examines the tension between prioritizing state security and sovereignty versus human security and the prevention of human suffering in the regulation of conventional arms transfers.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the draft South African Defence Review 2012, concluding that it is unrealistic due to a lack of fiscal planning and an overly rigid 30-year vision. The author argues that the draft fails to prioritize short-term operational needs, contradicts its own collaborative security goals by emphasizing autonomous defence, and ignores critical gender mainstreaming requirements.

This report analyzes the legal and political consequences of Malawi's June 2012 decision to refuse hosting the African Union (AU) Summit because the AU insisted on the invitation of Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC). The document examines how Malawi balanced its international legal obligations and its need to regain Western donor support against its relationship with the AU.

This briefing from the Institute for Security Studies analyzes two distinct security and political crises: the escalating violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) involving the M23 rebel group and Rwandan influence, and the economic instability and civil unrest in Sudan under President Omar al-Bashir.

This briefing from the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) reports on the recommendation by a Board of Inquiry that South African National Police Commissioner Bheki Cele be removed from office following a maladministration probe into a police headquarters lease deal. It further discusses the security governance issues under President Jacob Zuma, specifically the appointment of loyalists over experts in the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), and the controversy surrounding the suspension of Richard Mdluli.