Latest Opinions
Can Realpolitik drive renewed regional cooperation in West Africa?
By: ISS, Institute for Security Studies 20th May 2025 The AES-ECOWAS split has sparked pragmatic cooperation based on strategic interests between neighbouring countries. Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger’s... →
African islands under threat: what to do about Trump’s withdrawal from climate change agreement
20th May 2025 US President Donald Trump’s executive order withdrawing the US from the Paris Agreement raises the question of the implications for small African... →
New Africa Brics members decry preferential treatment for South Africa
By: ISS, Institute for Security Studies 19th May 2025 Egypt and Ethiopia blocked a Brics declaration backing South Africa for a United Nations Security Council seat. Brics is expanding – but perhaps... →
Mali’s transition is at risk as political parties are dissolved
By: ISS, Institute for Security Studies 19th May 2025 Political party bans by military authorities in Burkina Faso and Niger have met little resistance, but in Mali they ignited defiance. On 13 May,... →
South African companies aren’t innovating enough: why support during tough economic times matters
16th May 2025 South Africa’s innovation fund, announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa in the 2025 state of the nation address, was a response to the country’s... →
Opaque policymaking
By: Terence Creamer 16th May 2025 The announcement by Electricity and Energy Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa that the load factor for proposed gas-to-power (GtP) plants in South... →
SA’s next prosecution head: how to ensure a sound appointment
By: ISS, Institute for Security Studies 15th May 2025 Although Shamila Batohi’s selection followed a more participatory route, the process remains opaque and centralised in the Presidency. With... →
Ethiopia’s national dialogue and transitional justice: competition or complementarity?
By: ISS, Institute for Security Studies 14th May 2025 The dual peacebuilding processes are equally important – and can run simultaneously through coordination and sequencing. As Ethiopia navigates its... →
The badge we fear
14th May 2025 In South Africa, police abuse is not an isolated incident — it is our daily reality. For many communities, especially the poor and marginalised,... →
When it comes to foreign aid cuts, we need to move from grief to action
14th May 2025 Over the past five months, important bilateral and international agencies such as USAID, PEPFAR, UNAIDS, UNFPA, UNICEF, UNHCR, WFP, WHO and the... →
