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The document examines Angola's FDI landscape, noting that while the 2015 Private Investment Law (PIL-3) simplifies procedures and removes minimum investment thresholds, systemic issues like corruption, poor infrastructure, and weak institutional capacity continue to deter investment outside the oil and mineral sectors. It highlights a concerning trend of negative net FDI flows and Angola's relative isolation from SADC regional economic integration, while identifying the Lobito Transport Corridor as a strategic asset for future growth.

This research paper argues that consumptive use policies for African elephants have yielded mixed results due to corruption and poor governance, and calls for African policymakers to shift toward a permanent global ivory trade ban, improved governance of trophy hunting, and the promotion of photographic tourism.

The document evaluates the 25th Summit of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) in Nairobi, noting a renewed energy under new leadership but highlighting persistent challenges including poor attendance by heads of state, significant financial arrears, and the need for faster reporting cycles to maintain relevance.

The document examines the intersection of Ghana's oil industry and its artisanal fisheries, which account for 60-70% of the total marine catch. While initial tensions focused on exclusion zones around oil platforms and collisions, the paper argues that the oil sector is not the primary threat to fisheries sustainability. Instead, the sector faces systemic challenges including fleet overcapacity, illegal fishing practices, and climate change. The author advocates for a 'socio-ecological compact' where the oil industry, government, and fishing communities collaborate through integrated maritime governance and co-management to ensure long-term sustainability.

The document examines the tension between international regulatory norms, such as those established by CITES, and the varied local values associated with elephants and ivory. It argues that a 'one-size-fits-all' prohibition often fails because it ignores the complex socio-economic and cultural drivers of poaching and consumption. Using case studies from Cameroon's Congo River basin and Southern Africa, the authors illustrate how the commodification of ivory during the colonial era and the subsequent imposition of Western conservation models have alienated local communities, sometimes driving hunting underground or creating resentment. The paper concludes that for the ivory ban to succeed, policymakers must reconcile global norms with local realities, ensuring that communities derive tangible benefits from conservation.

The document analyzes the economic relationship between South Africa and the US, noting that while trade and investment have grown, South Africa underutilizes AGOA's duty-free preferences. It proposes three post-2025 paths: allowing AGOA to expire (Simple), negotiating a Partial Scope Agreement (Moderate), or pursuing a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (Comprehensive).

This research paper assesses South Africa's role as an emerging development partner in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Using the NeST analytical framework, it examines the scope and quality of South African initiatives in peace, security, and state-building. The study finds that South Africa is a significant development partner, often exceeding traditional OECD donors when measured relative to Gross National Income. While the partnership is characterized by high levels of trust and demand-driven support, it suffers from fragmented coordination, weak monitoring and evaluation systems, and a lack of clear strategic objectives. The document highlights specific contributions in electoral support, public sector reform, and infrastructure financing, while noting challenges such as political instability in the DRC and bureaucratic inefficiencies in South Africa.

The paper argues that elephant survival depends on incentivising local communities to value living elephants over ivory through effective CBNRM. It examines the evolution of these policies in Southern Africa, comparing models in Namibia, Botswana, and South Africa, while highlighting governance challenges such as elite capture and the need for diversified, non-consumptive livelihood strategies.

The document examines China's use of large-scale infrastructure projects in Africa as a tool of economic statecraft to challenge Western-led global norms and promote a 'democratised' global order. It analyzes the role of the Forum on China–Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and compares African initiatives with similar Chinese regional forums in the Arab world, Central Asia, and Latin America. Despite a slowing domestic economy and falling commodity prices affecting resource-rich African states, the author contends that China's strategic geopolitical goals ensure the continued resilience of its African investments.

The document analyzes China's transition from a non-interference policy to a more active role in African peace and security, driven by the need to protect its economic interests and a desire to establish itself as a 'responsible great power'. It contrasts Chinese and Western interpretations of human rights and peacebuilding, noting China's preference for socio-economic rights and state-led stability. While China has increased its UN peacekeeping contributions and partnered with the African Union, the report notes a contradiction in its role as a major arms supplier to the continent.

The document analyzes the transition of the Japan-Africa partnership through the lens of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD). It highlights a strategic shift from post-Cold War aid policies toward a stronger focus on trade, investment, and economic strategy, exemplified by the establishment of the Conference on African Economic Strategy under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The text compares Japan's economic footprint in Africa—noting a US$20 billion trade volume in 2015—against China's significantly larger US$180 billion. It further examines Japan's geopolitical motivations, including UN Security Council reform and maritime disputes in the East China Sea, while noting that African nations are leveraging competition between global powers to secure better investment and infrastructure terms.

The research paper examines the tension between President Magufuli's internal focus on austerity, poverty reduction, and industrialization and the potential diplomatic costs of his absence from major international summits. While the administration maintains representation through the vice president and foreign minister, critics argue that the president's personal absence from forums like the African Union Summit may hinder Tanzania's ability to leverage regional integration and common markets for domestic job creation.

The 2016 World Conservation Congress, convened by the IUCN, aims to develop governance responses to biodiversity loss through a series of motions and resolutions. The document emphasizes the need to integrate biodiversity into all development choices and align the IUCN's 2017–2020 Programme with global frameworks like the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement. For Africa, the brief highlights the importance of Motion 086 and the need for consolidated voting positions to protect vulnerable ecosystems.

The document examines the shift in Southern Africa from centralized conservation to community-based natural resource management (CBNRM). It analyzes various institutional models—such as conservancies, community-based organisations (CBOs), and private game reserves—evaluating their success in balancing biodiversity conservation with rural livelihood improvement. Using Namibia and Botswana as primary case studies, the paper highlights the critical role of secure devolution of rights, transparent governance, and the need to diversify income streams beyond wildlife tourism to ensure long-term sustainability and community stewardship.

The document examines the application of sustainable use (SU) policies for African elephants, distinguishing between consumptive use (CU)—such as ivory trade and trophy hunting—and non-consumptive use, such as photographic tourism. It argues that while CU has seen some success in Southern Africa, it is largely undermined by corruption, poor governance, and a 'partial global trade ban' that creates market confusion and encourages poaching. The author contends that the closure of major ivory markets in the US and China, combined with the inability of CITES to approve new trade, makes a permanent global ivory trade ban the most viable path. The paper recommends that African governments transition to public-private protected area management organisations (PPPAMOs) and photographic tourism, while using 'conservation hunting' only as a temporary stop-gap. Ultimately, it calls for a global biodiversity tax to compensate African states for the opportunity costs of these restrictions.

The document assesses the limitations of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in addressing illegal wildlife trade, noting that it is not legally binding unless implemented through national laws. It highlights a significant gap in compliance, with 50% of signatories lacking effective national legislation. The author recommends strengthening synergies between CITES and other agreements like the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), as well as fostering transregional consensus to prevent the displacement of illegal markets. Specific focus is placed on the need for increased capacity and funding for scientific authorities in high-biodiversity developing nations, particularly in Africa, to improve the evidence base for non-detriment findings (NDFs).

The document argues that Southern Africa remains largely excluded from global value chains due to poor infrastructure, weak manufacturing, and a lack of regional integration. It suggests that while governments should focus on enabling sectors like energy and transport, the region needs better data collection—noting that only South Africa participates in the OECD's TiVA database—and a strategic rebranding effort similar to Costa Rica's approach to attract lead firms. The text highlights agro-processing and services as key areas for competitive advantage and growth.

The document examines the role of informal cross-border trade in Zimbabwe, particularly in response to government import bans on basic commodities. It highlights that while the informal economy provides critical employment and poverty alleviation in a country with high formal unemployment, traders face significant risks including corruption and abuse. The author argues that Zimbabwe and other SADC nations should adopt Simplified Trade Regimes and engage with trader representatives to transition informal activity into the formal sector, citing successful models from East African economic communities.

The author contends that Africa should actively influence the New Development Bank (NDB) during its early implementation to overcome the slow pace of traditional multilateral development bank financing. The NDB is highlighted for its agility, equal voting rights among founding members, and potential to lend in domestic currencies to mitigate exchange-rate risks. The paper emphasizes the role of the NDB's Africa Regional Centre in South Africa to address the shortage of bankable projects and suggests integrating poverty alleviation and women's empowerment indicators into project preparation.

The document examines the role of employee share ownership plans (Esops) in South Africa's black economic empowerment (BEE) framework for the mining sector. While some Esops at companies like Kumba Iron Ore and Exxaro provided significant payouts during the commodity boom, many others failed due to a debt-based funding model that left beneficiaries without dividends when commodity prices slumped. The author proposes a hybrid model combining Esops with profit-sharing to ensure more sustainable income for workers, noting that profit-sharing is less susceptible to the volatility of the equity market than stock ownership alone.