South Africa at 30: Diplomatic transformation
From Mandela’s moral foreign policy to more transactional international relations, South Africa’s fortunes on the world stage have ebbed and flowed over the past 30 years. In this Business Day feature, SAIIA’s head of the African Governance and Diplomacy programme, Steven Gruzd, discusses South Africa’s foreign policy over the past 30 years.
Glimpses from the Global South for the climate and just energy transition agenda
To promote knowledge exchange between Brazil and South Africa on the climate and just energy transition agenda in the context of the G20, Brics, and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Think Tank 20 (T20), an engagement group linked to the G20 Social, held the seminar “Strengthening the Global South Climate Agenda – […]
How China’s demand for donkeys is devastating African communities
China’s demand for donkey hides, which are used to make an ancient health-related product called ejiao, has skyrocketed. This is not only endangering the global donkey population, but also poses socio-economic risks to African countries specifically. SAIIA Senior Research Associate, Dr Lauren Johnston, was interviewed by Reuters about her research on this issue.
Analysing Ramaphosa’s SONA amidst South Africa’s socioeconomic challenges
President Cyril Ramaphosa’s sixth annual State of the Nation Address took a nostalgic approach to the event as part of commemorating 30 years of democracy, as well as addressing what is likely to be the most highly-contested general election South Africa has seen since democratic rule. In an interview with Forbes Africa, SAIIA’s Senior Researcher, […]
South Africa’s president under pressure in state of the nation speech
President Cyril Ramaphosa’s sixth State of the Nation Address is expected to be the most important speech of his presidency to date, in an election year when his ruling party risks losing its parliamentary majority for the first time. In this interview with AFP, SAIIA’s Senior Researcher, Gustavo De Carvalho, gives his predictions for the […]
Diplomatic fallout of ICJ ruling on Israel could put South Africa’s AGOA renewal at risk
The Daily Maverick reports that after taking Israel, one of the US’s key allies to court, the South African government will need agile diplomacy to save the AGOA trade agreement. SAIIA’s chief executive Elizabeth Sidiropoulos was interviewed about the potential diplomatic fallout.
Blinken showcases projects for Africa as US plays defence
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited four African states this week – Angola, Nigeria, Ivory Coast and Cape Verde – to prove US commitment both in gestures and deeds, but it was also about playing defence as crises mount and Russia and China eye gains. Steven Gruzd, head of the African Governance and Diplomacy […]
Genocide or self-defence: why South Africa’s case against Israel matters more than you think
South Africa’s genocide case against Israel has been described as a bold move and one that could make waves for South Africa and the broader international community. However, the US lambasted South Africa’s case, describing the allegations as unfounded. In this interview with Business Day, SAIIA’s Researcher Isabel Bosman says relations with the US ‘reached […]
International Court of Justice will hear SA’s genocide case against Israel amid US criticism
Senior South African government officials say the genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which accuses Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and 13 other leaders of inciting deadly violence against Palestinians, is aimed at ending the country’s institutionalised impunity. The US has slammed the case as meritless and without basis. In […]
Brics leaders call for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict
While negotiations for the release of the Israeli hostages are underway, international pressure is mounting for an end to hostilities in Gaza and for the start of negotiations for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The BRICS nations held discussions to discuss the Israel-Hamas conflict during an extraordinary online summit. In this interview with the […]