South Africa’s Regional Policy: The Link Between Normative Anchors and Economic Diplomacy in SADC
South Africa’s foreign policy identity is grounded in the values of good governance, democracy and human rights, as a consequence of its own transition to democratic rule in 1994. However, the past two decades have witnessed lacunae in the manner in which these values have been articulated in its economic diplomacy in Southern Africa.
Reformist zeal fails to ease path for business in Nigeria
Brazil ‘is the country of the future and always will be’. Attributed to Stefan Zweig, an Austrian novelist who emigrated to Brazil in 1941, this quote could be adapted to Nigeria, which recently hosted the World Economic Forum’s (WEF’s) Africa Summit in Abuja.
The African Union and the Promotion of Democratic Values in Africa: An Electoral Perspective
Since its official inauguration on 9 July 2002, the African Union (AU) has made the promotion of democracy and good political governance for the development and stability of Africa one of its main priorities.
Governance: Linchpin of Dryland Natural Resource Management
Drylands cover approximately 12.5 million km2 (61%) of the African continent and 60% of Africa’s people live in them. Forests and woodlands underpin sustainable land management and livelihoods in dryland regions.
Extractive sector under pressure to demonstrate developmental obligation
If the European Union (EU) and the ‘Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) can provide strong leadership in at least four key areas, EU companies can become better placed than their global peers to meet the stricter operation standards and developmental impact being demanded by communities and governments in Africa.
Nigeria and the BRICS: Current and Potential Trade Relations and their Implications for the Nigerian Economy
This paper analyses Nigeria’s trade relations with Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (the BRICS countries), focusing on the patterns, intensity and complementarity of trade as well as its impact on economic performance.
Southern Africa’s Dryland Forests and Climate Change Adaptation
The interior of Southern Africa, encompassing significant areas of drylands, will be severely impacted by climate change.
Africa’s Extractive Governance Architecture: Lessons to Inform a Shifting Agenda
Careful reflection is needed in examining options for streamlining and capacitating the myriad Africa-led initiatives that have emerged recently in the area of resource governance.
The Reed that Lies Low in a Flooded River: Swazi Resistance to South African Reform Diplomacy
This policy briefing examines the extent to which South Africa has used its economic clout to influence the political situation in Swaziland since 1994.
Minefields of Marikana: Prospects for Forging a New Social Compact
The platinum belt is arguably a microcosm of the South African political economy, providing analysts with an opportunity to explore fault lines in the latter two decades after the end of apartheid.