South African Institute of International Affairs
The road ahead for the DRC
15th January 2019 Félix Tshisekedi’s apparent victory in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s long-postponed presidential election should be a cause for celebration,... →
Global perspectives: G20 leaders summit
7th December 2018 Council of Councils global perspectives roundups gather opinions from experts on major international developments. In this edition, members of five... →
The G20’s Africa problem
4th December 2018 Although the G20 has made a limited effort to broaden its engagement with Africa in recent years, it has yet to include Africans in discussions of... →
The SA-EU Strategic Partnership Summit: correcting the compass needle
15th November 2018 South Africa and the European Union will meet on 15 November in Brussels for the seventh Summit of the SA-EU Strategic Partnership. It is a... →
We need a flexible world order
26th October 2018 A geopolitical transition is underway. The post-1945 liberal world order is fracturing and failing to deliver on critical global public goods such... →
Here’s how SA can tackle homelessness
15th October 2018 A walk through Johannesburg’s metropolitan area highlights the glaring reality of homelessness in South Africa. Reasons for why and how people... →
Mandela and military force: the moment dictated the means
5th October 2018 In the winter of 1998 Lesotho was roiled by protests after a controversial election. Frustrated opposition parties, which won only a single... →
Reviving regional momentum
24th August 2018 Following the 38th Southern African Development Community (SADC) Summit which took place on 17-18 August 2018 in Namibia, questions around the... →
South Africa’s role in the lion bone trade: a neglected story
23rd August 2018 Africa’s wild lion population is estimated to be between 20,000 and 30,000. Researchers have good reason to believe that the real number is closer... →
Anticipation builds around Zimbabwe’s elections
2nd July 2018 President Emmerson Mnangagwa literally looms large above the bustling streets of Harare: his smiling face beams down from giant billboards all over... →
Environmental activism is not a whites-only issue
28th June 2018 During a conference last year, I enthusiastically attended all the sessions, from good governance to peace and reconciliation, and human rights.... →
Who leads Africa?
28th May 2018 Pan-Africanism – the liberation of Africans through regional cohesion and solidarity – has played a crucial role in shaping the continent’s... →
Strengthening Africa-Europe ties in the city of dragons
24th May 2018 Slovenia’s capital city Ljubljana – with a population of just 250,000 – is symbolised by dragons and is one of the greenest cities in Europe.... →
How to break the impasse between opposing camps in ivory trade debate
23rd May 2018 Elephants are in an extremely precarious state in both Africa and Asia. Demand for ivory from Africa has caused significant declines in wild... →
The future is African
22nd May 2018 The African continent is unique for many reasons: our diverse landscapes, melting pot of cultures, rich biodiversity, fertile soils and vast... →
How to ensure communities living near mining activities get a better deal
9th May 2018 The South African government and the Chamber of Mines are in the process of formulating a new Mining Charter. The charter serves as a blueprint for... →
When elephants fight: will the US-China trade war hurt South Africa?
19th April 2018 When US President Donald Trump announced that he would ask Congress to impose a 25% tariff on more than 1 300 Chinese imports amounting to an... →
What China’s President Xi’s extended tenure means for Africa
11th April 2018 China’s decision to suspend presidential term limits is still reverberating around the world. The announcement, made after a vote by China’s... →
Rest in power, Mother of the Nation
6th April 2018 The late Winnie Madikizela-Mandela was eminently revered as the ‘Mother of our Nation’ – a courageous matriarch who fought tirelessly for a... →
Will the ‘Ramaphosa dawn’ ripple across SADC?
20th March 2018 President Cyril Ramaphosa recently completed his first official tour of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region since becoming... →
Women-friendly trade: what can governments do better?
9th March 2018 It’s a familiar sight at border posts: women with baskets groaning under the weight of fresh produce, cheap manufactured goods or handicrafts ready... →
South Africa’s foreign policy under Zuma: Towards greater strategic partnerships
23rd February 2018 South Africa’s 2019 general elections will be a critical moment for democracy as the country welcomes a post-Zuma future. Equally important is the... →
Balancing Cyber Security and Internet Freedom In Africa
14th February 2018 With Bitcoin volatility making daily headlines, even those living in the technological ‘Dark Ages’ are realising that the future is digital.... →
APRM@15 - Has African Governance come of Age?
9th February 2018 In the Americas, when a young Latina girl turns 15, she celebrates her fiesta de quinceañera, a coming of age ceremony. Across the Atlantic Ocean,... →
Outlook for the South African mining industry
8th February 2018 Hot on the heels of Davos, the Investing in Africa Mining Indaba provides an opportunity for the new ANC president, Cyril Ramaphosa, to send the... →
Africa’s Year of Trump: Troubling Questions for the Continent
26th January 2018 One of the enduring images of 2017 was US President Donald J. Trump, a few months into his tenure, squinting bare-eyed at a solar eclipse. During... →
Role of the Youth in APRM’s quest for good governance, development and democracy
10th January 2018 The revitalisation of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) is evidence of African governments’ renewed commitment to strengthening good... →
The good, the bad and the ugly: an economic review of Zuma’s presidency
15th December 2017 President Jacob Zuma became ANC president and later president of South Africa when the full impact of the 2008 global financial crisis hit. We... →
Where next for the APRM as the AU transforms?
13th December 2017 As institutions mature, they should take stock to gear themselves for the future. Led by Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame, a process is under way at... →
Africa-Europe migration: 5 ways to find common ground
6th December 2017 Youth and migration will be central to discussions between African and European heads of state at the upcoming AU-EU Summit from 28 to 29 November... →
From our archives: dismantling Zimbabwe’s 'deep state’
16th November 2017 Are current developments in Zimbabwe unearthing the country's 'deep state'? Our analysis from 2016 has relevance today as events unfold: The... →
Kenya: counting the cost of political brinkmanship
8th November 2017 As the dust settles on Kenya’s divisive repeat elections, there is an understandable urge to move forward, to return to a sense of normalcy. Kenya... →
Walking an even tighter rope: a mid-term budget review
30th October 2017 Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba was unambiguous on Wednesday when he outlined the current dismal state of the South African economy during his... →
Beyond the numbers: measuring South-South Cooperation
25th October 2017 Do concepts and definitions matter when the work is already under way? Delegates grappled with this question at a recent symposium in Buenos Aires,... →
Financing infrastructure to reignite South Africa’s growth
19th October 2017 As South Africa’s Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba prepares for his inaugural Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement on 25 October, one issue will weigh... →
Kleptocracy upsets delicate balance of mutual interests in mining sector
17th October 2017 On the eve of the 2017 Johannesburg Mining Indaba, the Chamber of Mines declined an invitation to the opening gala dinner — part of continuing... →
OGP in Africa: Another sharp tool in the governance toolbox
10th October 2017 The recent Open Government Partnership (OGP) High Level Event on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly brought sad tidings for OGP... →
AGOA: It’s time to move on
14th September 2017 The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) has been the cornerstone of US-Africa trade relations since its inception in 2000. AGOA, which... →
Has China’s global ambitions outgrown Brics?
7th September 2017 Has China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) usurped Brics as China’s flagship forum? And if so, what does this mean for future Brics co-operation?... →
Brics: Stepping into the Breach
6th September 2017 Global headlines in the run-up to the 9th Brics summit were dominated by the North Korean missile crisis and the stand-off in Doklam, high in the... →
Africa seeks rivalry-free BRICS’ support
4th September 2017 Although the theme of the 9th BRICS Summit is “A Stronger Partnership for a Brighter Future”, there is likely to be some underlying tension among... →
