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The Institute for Security Studies' African Security Analysis Programme convened a roundtable seminar featuring representatives from opposing sides of the Western Sahara conflict. The event aimed to achieve an objective understanding of the protracted dispute between Morocco and the Polisario Front, which began following the Spanish withdrawal in February 1976 and has since divided the Maghreb region and the African continent.

The briefing analyzes a four-day ANC policy conference, concluding that the party avoided definitive positions on corruption, education, and the 'Second Transition' to maintain political unity and economic stability ahead of the Mangaung national conference. While the ANC rejected constitutional amendments for land reform and full nationalisation of strategic resources, it resolved to abandon the 'willing buyer, willing seller' principle and increase the state's role in strategic mineral projects.

The BASIC countries are expected to maintain a dual role in climate negotiations, participating in both formal UNFCCC processes and informal negotiations with powers like the United States. While they helped broker the Copenhagen Accord, they maintain that it does not replace the UNFCCC's two-track system of industrialized country commitments and long-term cooperative action. To counter criticisms of pursuing individual agendas, the BASIC countries are likely to align more closely with other developing nations and intergovernmental groups, such as the African Union, focusing on shared priorities like technology transfer, climate justice, and the requirement for developed nations to fund adaptation and mitigation.

The report argues that the US strategy of combining counter-terrorism with state building in Somalia, lacking local knowledge and long-term planning, is likely to incite a violent backlash. It highlights how the US securitised 'failed states' as terrorism sources, leading to actions such as paying warlords to track al-Qa’eda and providing tacit support for the Ethiopian invasion in 2006. The author contends that only a shift toward regional diplomacy and civilian peacebuilding can restrain the current violence.

A briefing by the Institute for Security Studies analyzing the political and economic dynamics of Egypt's first free presidential election following the ousting of Hosni Mubarak, focusing on the candidates, the role of the military, and the absence of a constitution.

The document argues that the effectiveness of global climate finance depends on democratic governance at the local level. It references experiences with the Adaptation Fund in Senegal, the Clean Development Mechanism in Chile, Thailand, the Philippines, and South Africa, and REDD in Brazil, Cameroon, Peru, and Tanzania to illustrate governance challenges and best practices.

This research monograph reviews literature on two distinct waves of forced migration to South Africa: Mozambicans fleeing civil war in the 1980s and people from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) arriving from the early 1990s onwards. It highlights the legal ambiguities and social marginalization faced by Mozambican refugees, as well as the significant socio-economic decline and lack of integration experienced by Congolese refugees.

The briefing examines South Africa's decline, citing a failing education system that has increased unemployment and inequality. It highlights a political culture of corruption within the ANC, where public office is used for personal gain, and notes that while the government cites successes in health and tourism, leadership failures and state looting continue to hinder economic growth.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies explains the compromise regarding political and economic reviews conducted by the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) and discusses the harmonization of peer review processes between the African Union (AU) and the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD).

The document argues that the exclusion of main opposition parties from three consecutive elections in Benin, driven by a restrictive endorsement requirement in the electoral code, undermines the country's democratic progress and risks triggering civil strife. It highlights a trend in West Africa where incumbents ensure re-election by excluding opponents and calls for African regional organisations to rethink their conflict prevention strategies to consolidate democracy.

The document contrasts the 2007 and 2012 ANC National Conferences, arguing that internal politics have shifted from ideological coherence to patronage. It highlights the failure of the state to recover funds from fraudulent contracts involving politically connected individuals and notes the erosion of the ANC's moral authority due to corruption.

The document details the upcoming Angolan elections, highlighting opposition complaints regarding voter registration fraud and the CNE's bias toward the ruling MPLA. It notes that the MPLA is expected to win, ensuring President dos Santos remains in power, but warns that systemic issues—including over-reliance on oil, high unemployment, and lack of basic infrastructure—could fuel social unrest.

The document examines the breach of arms control systems during the Libyan conflict, specifically focusing on France and Qatar's admission of supplying arms to rebels. It highlights the failure of end-user monitoring and the potential violation of contractual obligations, noting that Qatar may have re-exported arms sourced from the US and other nations, including Swiss ammunition. The author notes the inconsistent international response and the silence of South Africa regarding these transfers despite its own claims of being a responsible arms exporter.

The document examines the ongoing failure to fully reintegrate approximately 100,000 former combatants in Mozambique nearly two decades after the civil war. It notes that a 2009 government programme was insufficient, leading to the design of a new initiative to address 18 specific points of demand from ex-fighters. The analysis is based on interviews with government officials, civil society, and ex-combatant associations, though the process was still formative at the time of writing.

This document is an introductory report from the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) regarding a conference held on 31 May 2011. The conference aimed to analyze the 2011 North African revolutions and generate policy responses to peace and security challenges to support democratization and human security in the region.

The document identifies two sets of drivers influencing Africa's future: external 'megatrends'—including the shift of power from West to East and climate change—and domestic 'African variables' such as population dynamics and governance. It argues that while Africa will not be a primary driver of global scenarios in the coming decades, its importance will grow, and its trajectory will depend heavily on the accountability and decisions of its leadership.

The briefing examines the gap between South Sudan's formal commitments to women's rights and the reality of their exclusion from political and economic decision-making. It highlights how women, who make up 65% of the population, are disproportionately affected by poverty and gender-based violence while remaining underrepresented in government appointments and diplomatic negotiations. The authors argue that sustainable development and peacebuilding require moving beyond basic infrastructure to include women as active agents of political change.

The crisis in South Sudan has intensified regional rivalries in the Horn of Africa, drawing in neighboring states through military intervention, refugee influxes, and proxy support. Uganda has intervened militarily to support President Salva Kiir's government to protect economic interests and political influence. Sudan, while officially supporting the government, is suspected of supporting opposition forces to weaken South Sudan and re-establish influence. Ethiopia seeks to prevent a total state collapse to avoid ethnic spillover into its Gambella region and to block Eritrean infiltration. Eritrea is alleged to be covertly supporting opposition forces to undermine Ethiopia's regional predominance and strengthen its strategic relationship with Sudan.

This report assesses the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), noting that while it faces significant operational challenges, it is making progress in its efforts to combat Boko Haram.

This research paper examines the potential impacts of HIV/AIDS on security and governance in Southern Africa, a region with the highest global HIV prevalence. It explores how the epidemic undermines human capital and economic development by primarily affecting individuals in their prime working years.