Mining licence controversies continue to jeopardise industry
In the midst of a global commodity price bust and a rapid Chinese economic slowdown, South African mining companies are struggling to keep shafts operational. Exacerbating this difficulty is a generally strained relationship between mining firms and the government over mineral rights.
Glimpses of the ‘magnificent land’: Exploring parts of China with delegates from Africa
For the outside visitor, whether first-timer or a more regular one, urban China repeatedly produces the same effect: surprise, then fascination, often followed by disbelief. From sizeable motorways packed with bumper-to-bumper traffic, to cranes populating the skyline with innumerable iterations of high-rise buildings, its cities are a direct reflection of China’s rapid (and on-going) development path.
Fossil Fuels are Dead, Long Live Fossil Fuels: Botswana’s options for economic diversification
Botswana is at a critical historical juncture. It has enjoyed a stable democracy since 1965 and strong, quality economic growth for the last few decades. However, the diamond revenues on which the country depends are likely to decline in the near future. Economic diversification is therefore a pressing policy concern.
Calais migrants: A microcosm of a misunderstood crisis
If tabloid headlines are anything to go by, the United Kingdom is fighting off the greatest invasion force threatening the island since the Blitz. The invaders this time are migrants and asylum seekers sneaking a ride on lorries, trains and ferries to get across – or underneath – the English Channel.
What does the TFTA really mean for regional integration in Africa?
The Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA) between the member states of three African regional economic communities – SADC, EAC, and COMESA – has been heralded as one of the most important developments in African regional integration.
SADC Summit 17-18 August 2015
Heads of State and Governments of the member states of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) will be meeting this week in Gaborone, Botswana to further discuss the region’s industrial and infrastructure development.
Power ships as a ‘short-term solution’ to mitigating South Africa’s energy crisis?
Southern African Development Community (SADC) member states have been called to produce strategic plans to transition their electricity supply industries towards cost-reflective tariffs by 2019. This was concluded at the 34th meeting of SADC Energy Ministers Conference, recently held in Johannesburg.
Preserving the African Elephant for Future Generations
African elephants face an escalating poaching crisis due to an explosion in demand for ivory, mostly in China. Over 100 000 elephants were killed illegally between 2010 and 2012.
The problem drug patents pose for developing countries
Patents and restrictions on intellectual property have become more problematic for developing nations in the last decade. At the centre of the storm is the development and influx of inexpensive generic medicines that developing countries need to treat HIV, TB and other communicable diseases.
New book: Developing institutions for South-South Cooperation
The rise of so-called ‘emerging economies’ – such as Brazil, India and China – has been marked by their growing contribution to developmental issues, regionally and globally. This provision of assistance to the developing world by the developing world is known as South-South Cooperation (SSC).