Unpacking South Africa’s BRICS in Africa equation

Photo (c) GCIS

In a move that has generated much excitement, South Africa has invited representatives from various African continental institutions, including regional economic blocs to the Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) Summit (26-27 March 2013).

2013 BRICS Youth Communique: The Proposed BRICS Development Bank

Photo © Riona Judge McCormack/ SAIIA

On 16 March 2013 SAIIA brought together outstanding South African high school learners to host their own model BRICS Summit to discuss the creation of the BRICS Development Bank. Each school represented one of the five BRICS countries in a special negotiation session that resulted in the creation of a BRICS Youth Communiqué.

A regional approach to national development priorities in Mozambique?

Photo © ILRI/Stevie Mann

When Mozambique’s ruling party, Frente de Libertação de Mozambique (Frelimo) announced the unanimous re-election of President Armando Guebuza as party president for a third term in October last year, the news was met with wide-spread surprise. This was because the Mozambican constitution sets a two term limit on the presidential office and the party head has traditionally also been the head of state.

Mislabelling of seafood products rife

Photo © Romy Chevallier/ SAIIA

The furore surrounding the mislabelling of meat products in Europe has now also reached South Africa’s shores, with a recent study finding that 99 of 139 meat samples from South African wholesalers and retailers contained species not declared in the product label. The samples included donkey, goat and water buffalo meat.