South African Institute of International Affairs
Financing infrastructure to reignite South Africa’s growth
19th October 2017 As South Africa’s Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba prepares for his inaugural Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement on 25 October, one issue will weigh... →
Kleptocracy upsets delicate balance of mutual interests in mining sector
17th October 2017 On the eve of the 2017 Johannesburg Mining Indaba, the Chamber of Mines declined an invitation to the opening gala dinner — part of continuing... →
OGP in Africa: Another sharp tool in the governance toolbox
10th October 2017 The recent Open Government Partnership (OGP) High Level Event on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly brought sad tidings for OGP... →
AGOA: It’s time to move on
14th September 2017 The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) has been the cornerstone of US-Africa trade relations since its inception in 2000. AGOA, which... →
Has China’s global ambitions outgrown Brics?
7th September 2017 Has China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) usurped Brics as China’s flagship forum? And if so, what does this mean for future Brics co-operation?... →
Brics: Stepping into the Breach
6th September 2017 Global headlines in the run-up to the 9th Brics summit were dominated by the North Korean missile crisis and the stand-off in Doklam, high in the... →
Africa seeks rivalry-free BRICS’ support
4th September 2017 Although the theme of the 9th BRICS Summit is “A Stronger Partnership for a Brighter Future”, there is likely to be some underlying tension among... →
Can South Africa de-escalate the Korean Peninsula crisis?
1st September 2017 In the wake of the North Korean missile fired into Japanese airspace – on the United Nation’s commemorative “International Day Against Nuclear... →
Why allowing the sale of horn stockpiles is a setback for rhinos in the wild
23rd August 2017 A South African court has ordered the government to release a permit to the world’s largest rhino breeder, John Hume. The permit will allow him to... →
Cashing in on value chains to drive growth in SADC
21st August 2017 As the 37th SADC Summit kicks off, the longstanding question of how to best spur industrial growth and development in the region is at the top of... →
Gearing Africa’s cities for the future
8th August 2017 The rapid expansion of Africa’s cities over the past decades has meant an increasing demand for infrastructure, service delivery and jobs. At the... →
Women entrepreneurs need more than a quick fix
21st July 2017 As part of the G20 initiatives last week, the World Bank’s Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative, or We-Fi, was launched. This was an idea... →
#Guptaleaks: South Africa Opens New Investigation into State Graft
12th July 2017 In June, South Africa’s public protector announced there would be a new investigation into the #GuptaLeaks allegations of corruption at the highest... →
Merkel facing tough G20 balancing act
10th July 2017 The 12th Summit of the G20 will take place on 7-8 July in Hamburg, representing the culmination of the German presidency of 2017. As expected the... →
Brave new world
29th June 2017 We are a far cry from the 1800s and the so-called glory days of the British Empire, but sentimentality over ‘making Britain great again’ fuelled... →
Lesotho: 4 ways to boost growth, stability
26th June 2017 The Kingdom of Lesotho is a country of extremes: breath-taking beauty and widespread poverty. It’s classified by the UN as one of the least... →
Dangerous slippage in the DRC
21st June 2017 In 2016, one of the defining terms when it came to the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) political situation was 'le glissement'. Meaning... →
What’s standing in the way of South Africa’s entrepreneurs?
8th June 2017 Industrialisation is a key driver of sustainable development. It creates jobs, adds value and promotes trade through greater integration into... →
Iran’s dictated democracy
2nd June 2017 In 1979 Iran underwent an Islamic Revolution, surprising ‘experts’ around the world and transforming its country from a United States-supported... →
China’s Belt and Road Initiative: Where does Africa fit?
30th May 2017 Earlier this year, president Xi Jinping strode the world stage at Davos with his statement that 'We should commit ourselves to growing an open... →
What might the new French president mean for Africa?
16th May 2017 On 7 May 2017, the French people spoke and elected Emmanuel Macron as their next President of the Republic. Gathering 66.06% of the votes against... →
No woman left behind: The gender digital divide
15th May 2017 The World Economic Forum on Africa met on 3-5 May in Durban, and discussions included the need to enhance nations’ development through... →
Human Rights Victims lose out in the ICC debacle
10th May 2017 On 24 March, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued its first order awarding financial compensation – on an individual basis – to the... →
Where does Africa feature for Trump, 100 days on?
9th May 2017 On 29 April, President Donald J Trump reached 100 days in office as president of the United States. A controversial head of state, whose election... →
Europe’s Elections: a Yardstick for Populism
26th April 2017 Sunday saw French citizens vote in the first stage of their presidential elections, with a second run-off stage for the two lead candidates... →
South Africa’s cities: engines for inclusive economic development
19th April 2017 'Our transformation will be built through economic participation, partnerships and mobilisation of all our capacities.' said ex-Minister Pravin... →
Aluta Continua: The Unending Fight for Human Rights
6th April 2017 With the passing of struggle stalwart Ahmed “Uncle Kathy” Kathrada this week, we are freshly reminded of his legacy in the anti-apartheid movement... →
Is anyone listening? Of downgrades, hubris and redemption
5th April 2017 On 3 April the sword that had been dangling over our heads for the last two years finally came down – South Africa was downgraded by S&P Global to... →
Is South Africa Still An Emerging African Power?
3rd April 2017 In a midnight press-release, President Zuma announced the results of his latest cabinet re-shuffle, that predictably included the sacking of the... →
My Brother’s keeper
20th March 2017 A prominent thread in the conversation about Africa’s development since the end of the Cold War has been the need for good governance. The... →
Trump and Africa: Making China great again
23rd February 2017 If the first two months are anything to go by, 2017 will be an unusual year for Africa as two of its largest trading partners – China and America –... →
Africa: Governance Peer Reviews still offer Africa a major opportunity
16th February 2017 This year's African Union (AU) January summit, appropriately themed around the potential of the continent’s youth, sought to position the... →
Africa’s God presidents: Promoting democracy or dictatorship?
13th February 2017 'Grandpa, it’s enough.’ Julius Malema, leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters party in South Africa, has called for President Robert Mugabe of... →
Africa cannot afford ‘Business as usual’ under new AUC chair
8th February 2017 So much has been said about Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma’s term as Chairperson of the African Union Commission already, that regardless where one sits... →
Commodity prices and investment prospects for African countries in a brave new world
6th February 2017 How drastically the world has changed since this time last year. The cumulative odds on a Trump electoral win and a ‘yes’ to the Brexit referendum... →
Trump’s ascension to office: Can he, and will he, do what he says? Implications for Africa
27th January 2017 After his inauguration on Friday, Donald Trump is now the 45th president of the United States. His decidedly short inauguration speech evoked his... →
It’s time South Africa tuned into Africa’s views about its role on the continent
26th January 2017 South Africa has variously styled itself as a ‘bridge’ between the North, the global South and Africa as well as a ‘gateway’ into the continent. It... →
A new champion for conflict prevention: but mindshifts won’t come easy
25th January 2017 Just ten days into his tenure as United Nations’ Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres chose his first formal address to the UN to be about the... →
Africa Needs To Manage Food, Water and Energy in A Way That Connects All Three
24th January 2017 There is an increasing global demand for food, water and energy. All three are inter-linked, a fact that has increasingly become the focus of... →
Regulations for Foreign Investor Act Weighted Towards Dispute Settlement
13th January 2017 On December 15 2015, President Jacob Zuma assented to the controversial Protection of Investment Act when much of the South African public was on a... →
Drought in Southern Africa points to urgent need for climate change plans
13th December 2016 It is expected that temperatures in Southern Africa will rise to between 1.5°C and 3°C due to climate change by the year 2050. This is likely to... →
