South African Institute of International Affairs
Africa is not short on good ideas, but frequently fails to put them into practice
6th June 2023 When the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) was founded 60 years ago on May 35, 1963, the world was in the grip of the Cold War. The British and... →
Geopolitics, technology wars and global supply chains: Implications for Africa
1st June 2023 Explore this insightful article featured in Volume 30.1 of the South African Journal of International Affairs, as it assesses the impact of... →
Understanding Moscow’s decision-making mechanisms is crucial for African policymakers
9th May 2023 The debate around Russia’s foreign policy in Africa has intensified in the wake of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. President Cyril Ramaphosa’s... →
The African Peer Review Mechanism at 20 – good governance remains an unevenly met goal
17th March 2023 The year 2023 marks the 20th anniversary of the African Peer Review Mechanism. Since this good governance promotion tool was launched in March... →
When things go boom – Why the Doomsday Clock matters to Africa
9th March 2023 The Russian invasion of Ukraine is listed as a key motivator for pushing the Doomsday Clock forward to 90 seconds. Our expert, Isabel Bosman, gives... →
The Russian invasion of Ukraine still sends ripples into Africa
1st March 2023 One year after violent conflict between Russia and Ukraine broke out, the African continent has not been spared the war's harsh effects. The 24... →
The invasion that shook the world
24th February 2023 The Russian invasion of Ukraine shaken global governance. Fuel, fertilizer, and food price hikes in Africa have escalated costs of living and... →
SA adamant it is agnostic on Russia-Ukraine war but its behaviour reveals otherwise
30th January 2023 South Africa's declarations of neutrality are wearing thin around the Russia-Ukraine war, and engaging in wargames with Moscow's military while the... →
The war in Ukraine calls for an increased African unity
26th January 2023 The war in Ukraine is an opportunity for African states to identify areas of agreement if they want to survive an ideological battleground, like... →
Russia in Africa: Resurgent great power or bellicose pretender?
14th December 2022 A review of Samuel Ramani’s forthcoming book that examines Russia's engagements in Africa for every post-Cold War Russian administration. The... →
Key African countries to watch at COP27
7th November 2022 African-led climate action is in the spotlight as COP27 gets underway. Countries across the continent have been progressively championing key... →
Anticipating change – Re-thinking SADC industrial policy
10th October 2022 Given the shifting landscape brought on by the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) and crises such as Covid-19, the SADC region has much to gain by... →
A global rebalance?
20th September 2022 The ongoing war in Ukraine has raised questions about the BRICS’ – the bloc of major emerging economies comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and... →
Relevance of a non-proliferation treaty put to the test
6th September 2022 The long-awaited 10th Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons took place from August 1-26. But the four weeks... →
The Road to COP 27: Africa’s Adaptation Finance Agenda
12th August 2022 The devastating drought underway in the Horn of Africa, and floods that killed more than 400 people in April 2022 in South Africa, demonstrate the... →
The Anatomy of Kenya’s 2022 Election
10th August 2022 Despite violence and irregularities in Kenya's previous elections since the turn of the century, there is good reason to think that this year's... →
Green hydrogen offers a window to redefine the Africa-Australia and Africa-Australia-Europe partnerships
5th August 2022 Conflict in Europe has fast-forwarded a global race for green hydrogen. Australia was already well-placed, having already begun pursuit of... →
Africa needs to forge a unified approach to Russia before 2023 Russia-Africa Summit
4th August 2022 Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s visit to Africa highlights the need for the development of a continental Russian strategy to avoid... →
Industrial policy options for Southern Africa: scenarios set out possibilities and risks
1st August 2022 There is a need to transform the underlying economic principles of the economies in Southern African countries to address the persistent challenges... →
A Chinese port in Nigeria will change the world economy
25th July 2022 In November 2010, little-known Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping gave a speech in South Africa promoting the creation of "a new type of... →
Total nuclear ban: civil society sets tone for major global conferences
18th July 2022 It’s a daunting task, but one that must proceed. This was the consensus of civil society movements from across the world, which met recently to... →
Creating ‘triple win’ solutions for nature, communities and the economy
13th June 2022 Scientists have calculated that the devastating floods in KwaZulu-Natal earlier this year were made twice as likely by the effects of climate... →
The Charm of Anti-Westernism: Russia’s Soft Power in Africa
19th May 2022 The effectiveness — or, for that matter, the existence — of Russia's soft power has always been a controversial topic, dividing both academic and... →
Russia’s media playbook in Ukraine and Africa — let the great world spin
28th March 2022 Russian information operations are the first crucial step in many of its pursuits. In Ukraine, it is about painting Kyiv as the aggressor, Moscow... →
South Africa’s Corruption Nemesis
15th March 2022 A recent report highlights the urgent need for South Africa to implement reforms to combat state capture, reverse institutional decay, and restore... →
APRM @ 19 – How Far So Far?
9th March 2022 On 9 March 2022, the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) celebrates its 19th birthday. Established in 2003 as the continent’s premier governance... →
Enter the exclusion zone – what is at stake in Chornobyl*?
1st March 2022 Barely a day into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Russian troops captured Chornobyl*, the site of the infamous 1986 nuclear disaster. The move to... →
The EU-AU Summit: Considering Africa’s Climate Priorities
17th February 2022 The EU-AU Summit takes place this year as Africa looks ahead to Egypt’s hosting of the twenty-seventh session of the Conference of the Parties... →
Bid to blast nuclear weapons into illegality
11th February 2022 The entry into force of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (the Ban Treaty) was a big milestone for nuclear disarmament. Activists... →
The politics of inequity – Science, transparency and travel bans
3rd December 2021 On the 25th November, scarcely hours after the South African minister of health had held a press briefing to announce that a new variant (Omicron)... →
COP26: Much Achieved, Huge Opportunities Missed
24th November 2021 Negotiations were tense at the twenty-sixth Conference of the Parties (COP26) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Glasgow,... →
Development Cooperation & SDGs: What’s at Stake?
3rd November 2021 As the second year of the pandemic grinds on and vaccination rates in parts of the developing world, especially Africa, remain low, impacting on... →
COP26: Transitioning to a green hydrogen economy in the spotlight
22nd October 2021 Moving rapidly towards a green hydrogen economy would help South Africa secure its domestic energy supply and drive economic growth through the... →
Time for South Africa to Strongly Consider Internet Voting
19th October 2021 South Africa (SA), like the rest of the democratic world, faces the dilemma of having to conduct an election during a global pandemic. The health... →
Zimbabwean civil society organisations identify critical issues for country’s APRM process
18th October 2021 The Zimbabwean Government under President Emmerson Mnangagwa acceded to the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) in February of 2020. Zimbabwe... →
Nuclear Disarmament: What the World can Learn from Africa
8th September 2021 On 22 January 2021, the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (the Ban Treaty) entered into force. Under the Ban Treaty, states are... →
Russia’s efforts to promote cyber norms that serve its interests gain traction in Africa
26th August 2021 A proposal by Russia that the United Nations should consider a global cybercrime treaty has been adopted with the support of 30 African countries,... →
The BRICS’ Lagging Vaccine Diplomacy
23rd August 2021 The Covid-19 pandemic has tested the BRICS countries’ collective strength, and found them largely wanting. The bloc has therefore missed a chance... →
How Covid-19 Undermines Democracy in Africa
20th July 2021 As the recorded number of infections in Africa edges towards the six-million mark, it has become clear that Covid-19 is not only a public health... →
The Bear is back: Russian re-engagement with Africa is picking up with Putin in the driving seat
9th July 2021 Vladimir Putin has placed a high premium on rebuilding Russia’s stature as a global power, and these efforts extend to Africa. He first visited the... →
Nuclear Energy: A Possible Solution to Africa’s Electrification Shortfalls
22nd June 2021 Access to reliable sources of electricity has become the bedrock of socio-economic development in the 21st century. UN Sustainable Goal 7 also aims... →
