SAIIA celebrates its 75th Anniversary
On 12 May 2009 the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) celebrates its 75th anniversary. This significant event provides the SAIIA extended community of Council, staff, members and friends with an opportunity to celebrate its achievements over the past three quarters of a century. In the world of national and even international think tanks this is an enviable record of service.
Diplomatic Pouch
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APRM Forum in Libya: Few Surprises, Unanswered Questions
A day ahead of this year’s African Union summit in Libya, the 11th meeting of the forum of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) took place in the sweltering seaside town of Sirte. Reports emerging from those who attended threw up few surprises and some lingering concerns. -
The African Peer Review Mechanism – Progress and Prospects
On 30 June 2009, as African leaders gather on the sweltering, dusty shores of the Mediterranean in Sirte, the hometown of Libyan President Muammar al-Gaddafi, for the 13th
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Attracting the youth vote
After their third landslide victory, the African National Congress now occupies 264 of the 400 seats in South Africa's parliament. In the post-mortem of the April 2009 polls, many of the opposition parties who won only a handful of seats will probably be left wondering how they got it all wrong. The ANC's firm grip on the majority is not only due to their advantageous position of incumbency and their resources, but also their efficient and energetic campaign. Opposition parties seem to have misjudged their electorate by adopting inadequate campaign strategies.
What's New
Rwanda on Independence Day: Not Quite Free?
As published in http://allafrica.com/stories/200907010011.html
As Rwanda celebrates its independence on Wednesday, it stands as one of those African countries which appears on the face of it to be working well, despite pursuing a homegrown style of democracy which has attracted international criticism for being authoritarian.
National Perspectives on Global Leadership: South Africa
This paper forms part of a series of papers prepared for GIGI's National Perspectives on Global Leadership project. Click here to read more.
Economic Interests
The South African economy is heading for its first recession since 1992, after 16 years of uninterrupted, albeit somewhat anemic, growth. Consequently, the first priority was to ensure that the short-term agenda outlined during the Washington Summit was adequately addressed, with appropriate measures taken in the major developed countries to underpin growth. Whilst no new fiscal measures were announced in London, and the US and continental Europeans were unwilling to coordinate their fiscal stimulus packages, enough was done prior to the crisis to ensure this was not a major issue for South Africa.
SAIIA Research Report, No. 4, June 2009
Governance of Africa's Resources Programme
Seeing the Wood for the Trees: Forestry Governance in the DRC
by Mari-Lise du Preez and Kathryn Sturman
- English [.pdf]
This case study on forestry governance in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) forms part of a three-year project entitled Strengthening the Governance of Africa’s Natural Resources, conducted by the Governance of Africa’s Resources Programme (GARP) of the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA).
SAIIA Research Report, No. 3, June 2009
Strategies for Effective Policy Advocacy: Demanding Good Governance in Africa
by George Katito and Faten Aggad
- English [.pdf]
This study is based on a research project carried out as part of the Governance and African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) Programme of the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA). This study attempts to distil lessons learned by a handful of African civil society coalitions on the dynamics of demanding improved governance of governments that are often averse to governance reform.
Integrating Governance into University Education: Workshop for African Academics
On 20-21 May 2009, SAIIA's Governance and APRM Programme hosted a workshop in Johannesburg entitled 'Integrating Governance into University Education: Workshop for African Academics'. Lecturers and professors from eight African countries attended, to explore how teaching, learning, research and publishing on governance issues can be strengthened on the continent. Click here for the workshop report, and continue reading for the Executive Summary.
Pan-African Parliament: Evaluating an Evolution
As published in the Daily News
Over the past few days, elections were held to the European Union's (EU) transnational European Parliament (EP) - an institution largely unknown in Africa. Does it have anything to teach Africa about its own continental parliamentary project - the Pan-African Parliament (PAP)?
New African Conflicts are Predictable and Preventable
As published in the Cape Times and Pretoria News
Recent history shows that proactive diplomacy can save lives, economies and continental reputation. Long-serving rulers bottle up political tensions and resist predictable power transfers, which means the death of aging autocrats ought to bring active African diplomacy to ensure stable elections and transfers of power.
Should Two Africas Share One Africa Day?
As published in the Daily News and Cape Argus
Africa Day: a moment for the continent to reflect on its past, and to dream of its future. But Africa Day is also a commemoration of the founding of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in 1963. At its establishment, the OAU was also the stuff of big dreams, but its legacy was a mixed one, which had made many painful mistakes. When it was replaced by the African Union (AU), many were hopeful that a new day had dawned. The OAU was part of the "old" Africa, the AU the harbringer of the "new". But "old" and "new" Africa are struggling to define what Africa Day should mean.
Trade Finance Squeeze
Trade finance (sometimes called short-term credit) is considered as the true lifeline on which the majority of world trade operates today as it can provide fluidity and security to the movement of goods and services. With around 80 percent of the US$14 trillion in world trade financed by open accounts and 20 percent by way of documentary credits, such as letters of credit (LCs), trade finance is critical to sustaining global trade.
SA's Stimulus Package Rings Alarm Bells about Trade Policy
As the economic contraction induced by the global financial crisis deepens, multilateral finance institutions, central banks and governments are intervening by injecting liquidity, recapitalising and restructuring financial institutions to halt the world economy from plunging into depression.
Fossiled Priorities In IPP Regulations?
The Department of Minerals and Energy (DME) released its draft independent power producer (IPP) regulations on January 30 with a harsh deadline of March 2, for public comment. What is interesting is the timing of this release. The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) released its consultation paper and draft guidelines on the renewable energy feed-in tariff (Refit) in December, conducted extensive public hearings and released its final draft of the Refit policy at the end of March. The question that arises is whether the DME was attempting to complement or thwart Nersa in its Refit policy.
Gathering Crumbs from the G20's Table?
Guest column in www.allafrica.com
As leaders of the world's most productive economies meet in London on Thursday, street activism around the need for poverty alleviation and action on climate change is expected to divert the world's gaze from official proceedings. For African governments and civil society organizations, any diversion which focuses attention on issues of social justice will be welcome.
Workshop on South Africa's Foreign Engagements and Human Rights
Press Room
Since 1994 South Africa has emphasised human rights as a foundation of its society and governance. At this time, it proposed a foreign policy based on human rights. Over the past few years however, South Africa's commitment to human rights has come under question as a result of the positions it has adopted on a range of international issues, such as a perceived reluctance to sanction repression in Zimbabwe and Myanmar and ambivalence on homosexual rights. More recently, considerable controversy was generated when the Dalai Lama was reportedly denied a visa to enter South Africa.
What Future for Monetary Policy in Zimbabwe?
Zimbabwe is much in the news again with its newly minted unity government. It remains to be seen whether it will cohere and drive a concerted reconstruction process. Within this Zimbabwe's future monetary policy is of enormous importance owing to the country's infamous inflation rate. Three monetary reform scenarios are being discussed: an ordinary or crawling peg to a basket of currencies; ‘Randization' (adopting the Rand); and a currency board, ie a domestic currency with the money base one hundred per cent backed by foreign reserves. The latter two would entail Zimbabwe surrendering monetary policy sovereignty - an issue attracting considerable controversy .
Latest Publications
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Trade Reform in Southern Africa: Vision 2014?
This book comes at an important time in the development of Southern Africa's trade policy. Trade policy and trade performance are important elements in the region's growth and development strategies, but the future is becoming ever more uncertain. This is partly because regional trade policy is now almost entirely dictated by often-erratic trade negotiations processes: there is no clear unilateral thrust. Most agree that external influences in the form of economic partnership agreement (EPA) negotiations with the EU and the World Trade Organisation's floundering Doha Round have the potential to significantly alter the region's trade policy landscape, but few are willing to predict precisely how. -
Regional Integration in Africa: Lessons from the East African Community
The creation of regional bodies such as the African Union, the New Partnership for Africa`s Development, the Southern African Customs Union and the East African Community has renewed interest in the viability of regional integration. These bodies hold the possibility for renewed economic development and political cooperation. Central to this are two questions: first, are integration efforts capable of boosting equitable inter- and intra-regional trade flows; and secondly, are they sustainable?
Occasional Papers
SAIIA Occasional Paper, No.35, June 2009
Governance of Africa’s Resources Programme
Natural Resource Governance, Boom and Bust: The Case of Kolwezi in the DRC
by Gregory Mthembu-Salter
- English [.pdf]
This paper considers the effects of the successive booms and busts in the mining industry and the commodity markets on the management of natural resources in Kolwezi.
Policy Briefings
SAIIA Policy Briefing, No.5, March 2009
Development through Trade Programme
The Economics of Intellectual Property Rights in Developing Countries: Lessons from a Literature Review
by Tsidiso Disenyana
- English [.pdf]
Conventional economic theory asserts that inefficient markets result from a product or service for which there are no ready substitutes being provided by a single seller (i.e. a monopoly).
Research Reports
SAIIA Research Report, No. 4, June 2009
Governance of Africa's Resources Programme
Seeing the Wood for the Trees: Forestry Governance in the DRC
by Mari-Lise du Preez and Kathryn Sturman
- English [.pdf]
This case study on forestry governance in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) forms part of a three-year project entitled Strengthening the Governance of Africa’s Natural Resources, conducted by the Governance of Africa’s Resources Programme (GARP) of the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA).
