Taking Africa Seriously from Within and Without

In this inaugural address, the Director of the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) asserts that Africa's development depends on internal agency rather than external aid. The author highlights the importance of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) and NEPAD in fostering good governance and accountability. The text warns against a 'new scramble for Africa' driven by China's demand for raw materials, urging states to implement industrial policies and beneficiation to avoid neo-imperialist patterns. It concludes that while international interest and growth are positive, sustainable progress requires capable state institutions, proactive leadership, and a move away from ideological rigidity.

• The author argues that African development should be driven by internal motivations and the interests of citizens rather than external pressures or a reliance on aid, which has historically been ineffective due to geopolitical imperatives and elite capture.
• The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) is identified as a critical tool for improving leadership accountability, protecting human rights, and eliminating government by decree, with early reports already completed for Ghana and Rwanda.
• Sub-Saharan Africa's economic growth, while improving, remains insufficient to meet Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and represents a very small fraction of global trade and economy.
• The rise of China presents a risk of a 'new scramble for Africa' where the continent serves merely as a supplier of unbeneficiated raw materials to fuel China's economy, necessitating the development of domestic industrial policies.
• To optimize the current historic juncture, South Africa is encouraged to be more proactive and national-interest driven in its dealings with powers like China and to avoid strictly following African consensus when it conflicts with its own benefits, such as in services liberalisation within the WTO.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2005). Taking Africa Seriously from Within and Without. https://saiia.org.za/research/national-directors-inaugural-address-20-october-2005/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Taking Africa Seriously from Within and Without. 2005. https://saiia.org.za/research/national-directors-inaugural-address-20-october-2005/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Taking Africa Seriously from Within and Without |date=20 October 2005 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/national-directors-inaugural-address-20-october-2005/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2005taking, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Taking Africa Seriously from Within and Without}}, publisher = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2005}, month = oct, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/national-directors-inaugural-address-20-october-2005/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }