Lessons for South Africa: How Zambia prevented xenophobia
‘Isaac, we can no longer go to the movie today. We have a curfew,’ my late dad told me. ‘I understand, dad,’ I responded – and I genuinely did. This was a conversation taking place on a Saturday at home in Ibex Hill, in my hometown of Lusaka in 1978.
AGOA Extension Bill Overcomes Poultry Dispute to Reach Congress
The bill to extend the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), the United States’ cornerstone African development initiative, has finally arrived in Congress in the form of the AGOA Extension and Enhancement Act of 2015.
‘New Normal’ Needed to Tackle Africa’s Extractive Governance Challenges
In tandem with the steep fall in global commodity prices, demands for a stronger sustainability focus in Africa’s extractives industry is on the rise. This shift is leading communities, industry, government and civil society actors to reassess emerging governance challenges in a low commodity price environment.
Battling Violence against Women: From Africa’s Top to Toe
Combating gender-based violence was a key theme raised by African countries at the March 2015 session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, Switzerland. It is clear that this is a serious problem across the continent, as speeches from leaders from South Africa to Egypt demonstrated.
Strengthening the African Peer Review Mechanism: Insights from National Governing Councils
National Governing Councils (NGCs) are the lynchpin of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM). Situated between the state’s political leadership and the technical institutions carrying out the research, NGCs are crucial to the development of a meaningful Country Self-Assessment Report (CSAR) and viable National Programmes of Action (NPoAs).
Collection: South Africa Beyond the BRICS
The BRICS alliance seems to have yielded limited tangible economic benefits for South Africa. Should South Africa therefore explore alternative groupings in global economic governance fora? A new set of papers has been commissioned by SAIIA on the theme ‘South Africa Beyond BRICS’, looking at just such a question.
Policy Framework for Foreign Direct Investment Promotion in South Africa: Operations, Effectiveness and Sustainability
Foreign direct investment promotion in South Africa has expanded considerably in the two decades from 1995 to 2015.
South Africa’s Electricity Crisis: Clearer prioritisation and coherence needed
Is there clarity and coherence in current measures being taken by South Africa’s government to address the country’s critical energy challenges?
Ahead of FOCAC and toward Agenda 2063: A timely window for African think tanks to take the lead
This year is seen as an important step towards implementing Africa’s future development plans. With the MDGs drawing to a close, the post-2015 development agenda for the continent is framed around Agenda 2063.
Cultural Diplomacy through ‘China’s Year in South Africa’
How are states employing cultural diplomacy in an increasingly interconnected world in shaping understanding between societies while promoting preferential co-operation between nations? Observers of China-South Africa relations will have noticed the increasing reference to the ‘China Year in South Africa’ by officials on both sides.