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The South African Youth Gender Action Plan (SA YGAP) is a youth-led framework designed to guide decision-makers, civil society, and the private sector in creating a gender-inclusive society in South Africa. Developed by young people aged 13-30, the plan identifies gaps in existing national and global policies and proposes a seven-pillar approach to dismantle patriarchal and heteronormative structures across education, health, safety, and sustainable transformation.

The executive summary highlights the critical gaps in African education, noting that millions of children remain out of school and that the current pace of enrollment will not achieve Universal Primary Education for centuries. It emphasizes that increasing primary enrollment without expanding secondary education and improving teacher training and salaries will fail to provide the economic competencies needed for development. The document also identifies HIV/AIDS, corruption, and a lack of funding as primary barriers to educational progress.

A fact sheet from the South African Institute of International Affairs detailing the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), its comparison to bilateral agreements, and its impact on South African exports.

The South African Durban Youth and Children’s Protocol is a statement negotiated and agreed upon by South African youth and children during the 17th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 17) in November 2011. The document outlines recommendations for the global community, African peers, the South African national government, and youth themselves to address climate change and environmental sustainability.

The South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) provides a critical analysis of the 2013 Promotion and Protection of Investment Bill. The submission argues that while the Bill aims to balance developmental objectives with investment protection, several provisions deviate from customary international law, potentially creating uncertainty for foreign investors and risking challenges in international courts for denial of justice.

This briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) provides an analysis for policymakers regarding the potential legalisation of rhino horn trade for the 17th CITES meeting in 2016. It evaluates arguments in favour of regulated trade against the practical conditions required for such a system to succeed, ultimately questioning whether legal trade would effectively prevent rhino extinction or inadvertently increase demand and poaching.

The 'Jeug GIDS VIR NOODGEREEDHEID' is a guide developed by children and young people aged 13-25 across South Africa, in partnership between UNICEF and Youth@SAIIA. It provides a foundation for young citizens to prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies, focusing on building social resilience and community capacity rather than professional first-responder training.

This guide, developed by children and youth aged 13 to 25 in South Africa in collaboration with UNICEF and Youth@SAIIA, provides a framework for young people to prepare for and respond to emergencies. It focuses on building community resilience through risk identification, early warning systems, and the development of personal and community emergency plans.

The Youth Emergency Guide is a resource co-developed by young people aged 13-25 in South Africa, in partnership with UNICEF and the South African Institute of International Affairs (Youth@SAIIA). It provides a framework for children and youth to identify risks, develop emergency plans, and build social resilience to better respond to and prevent disasters, specifically focusing on climate-related hazards, health crises, and civil unrest.

This guide, developed by UNICEF and the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) in collaboration with South African youth aged 13 to 25, provides a framework for young people to prepare for and respond to emergency situations. It focuses on building community resilience, identifying hazards, creating emergency plans, and navigating the recovery process following disasters such as floods, fires, and civil unrest.

Senegal's progress toward its NDC commitments is hindered by a severe lack of international climate finance, the absence of a national monitoring (MRV) system, and a strategic shift toward oil and gas exploitation that threatens its low-carbon goals. While the country has successfully implemented large-scale wind and solar projects and is developing green transport (BRT and TER), these are overshadowed by the $10 billion investment in hydrocarbons. The COVID-19 pandemic further delayed key projects and diverted budgetary resources toward immediate socioeconomic resilience.

This research paper evaluates the alignment of Uganda's post-COVID-19 economic recovery strategy with its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). It finds that while Uganda has increased its climate ambition in its updated NDC, the actual economic stimulus packages have largely prioritised immediate health and economic rescue over green recovery, leaving climate action underfunded and sidelined in the budget process.

This research paper examines the evolution and implementation of Benin's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) between 2015 and 2021, focusing on the energy, agricultural, forestry, and waste sectors. It analyzes how these climate commitments align with national development priorities and suggests integrating monetary policy with climate goals to enhance sustainability and private sector investment.

This research paper compares the macroeconomic resilience of Kenya and Tanzania over the past 20 years, analyzing the impacts of climate shocks, the global financial crisis, and the COVID-19 pandemic. It finds that while both countries used prudent monetary and fiscal policies to recover, they face challenges with high public debt, complex tax systems, and vulnerability to external trade shocks. The authors recommend simplifying tax administration, reducing non-concessional borrowing, and leveraging the AfCFTA to diversify trade.

This policy brief compares the macroeconomic resilience of Senegal and Mali between 2000 and 2022, analyzing their responses to various domestic and global shocks. It finds that while both countries utilized fiscal and monetary measures to mitigate impacts, Mali experienced more frequent internal shocks due to security and climatic vulnerabilities. The authors propose a transition toward counter-cyclical policies and structural reforms in trade, industry, human capital, and governance to build long-term resilience.

This research paper by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) introduces two new indices—the Climate Change and Economic Vulnerability Index (CEVI) and the Climate Change and Economic Resilience Index (CERI)—to provide a quantitative basis for the allocation of climate finance. The author argues that current climate finance, particularly OECD adaptation funding, is misaligned with the actual vulnerability and resilience of recipient countries, often favoring middle-income nations over the most vulnerable low-income economies, particularly in Africa.

This project statement by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) advocates for the integration of Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) into the climate policies of African coastal and island nations to strengthen resilience against climate change impacts.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs outlines Africa's priorities and demands for COP28, emphasizing the need for a fundamental overhaul of the global financial architecture to ensure equitable climate finance, accelerated adaptation funding, and the operationalization of the Loss and Damage Fund.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) outlines a strategic roadmap for implementing Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) withinS within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. The authors argue that while SADC has strong foundational payment systems, it faces systemic risks due to policy fragmentation and a lack of regulatory harmonisation, specifically regarding the AU Malabo Convention. The document proposes a 'Triple-A' agenda—accelerate, anchor, and assert—to drive inclusive digital transformation, leveraging lessons from India's 'security-by-design' and Brazil's 'brownfield' approach to digital sovereignty.

This policy note, published by the South African Institute of International Affairs in October 2025, advocates for a shift from incremental to transformational climate adaptation in Africa. It outlines the conceptual differences between these approaches, identifies systemic barriers to implementation across the continent, and provides strategic recommendations for South Africa's G20 presidency to champion scalable, just, and context-specific adaptation frameworks.