The signing of the Tripartite Free Trade Agreement (TFTA) two weeks ago in Egypt between three of Africa’s major economic blocs COMESA, the EAC and SADC is an important development for intra-African trade and investment.
Ahead of the UN Conference of Parties (COP 21) meeting in December 2015, which it is hoped will deliver a universal, legally binding climate agreement to succeed the Kyoto Protocol by 2020, Paris is hosting an International Scientific Conference (ISC) from 7–10 July.
Some five weeks ago I attended the BRICS (Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa) Academic Forum in Moscow as part of the South African delegation. The discussions held there provide interesting insights into the future direction of the BRICS group.
Developed countries have made little progress in providing climate finance for the transition towards low emission and climate-adaptive development pathways in developing countries.
A coup d’état in Burkina Faso in October 2014 thwarted attempts by West Africa’s former regional strongman Blaise Compaoré to extend his stay in power.
Preceding this month’s 25th African Union (AU) summit in Johannesburg a meeting of the AU Specialized Technical Committee on Defence, Safety and Security committed again to fully operationalise an African Standby Force (ASF) by December this year. The ASF has been ten years in the planning, and in that time has failed to establish a rapid response tool to deal with conflict on the continent.
Unblocking the climate finance negotiations will unlock a new global agreement on climate change in Paris later this year.
As I write this, President al-Bashir has left the country. He should never have risked coming and the South African government should have suspected that something like this might happen.
Turkey started its G-20 presidency in 2015 with three priorities – inclusiveness, investment and implementation – and the crosscutting themes of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and low-income developing countries (LIDCs).
The focus for this year’s African Union (AU) Summit – being held on 14 and 15 June 2015 in Johannesburg, South Africa – is the ‘Year of Women Empowerment and Development towards Africa’s Agenda 2063’.
Tel: +27 (0)11 339-2021 | info@saiia.org.za
© All rights reserved South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA)
Powered by THINKTEAM
