Strategic choices for South Africa as it enters 2020

The paper outlines three primary areas where South Africa can exert leadership as AU chair: 'Silencing the Guns' by mediating conflicts in Libya and South Sudan; ensuring the timely implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) by July 1, 2020; and revitalizing the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) to improve continental governance.

• South Africa's leadership in conflict resolution should focus on moving the AU to the center of efforts to resolve crises in Libya and South Sudan, which requires addressing the influence of non-African external actors.
• The African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) is scheduled to begin operations on July 1, 2020, with the potential to increase intra-African trade by 52.3% through the removal of import duties, and potentially double that increase if non-tariff barriers are reduced.
• To ensure the success of the AfCFTA, South Africa must prioritize the finalization of tariff schedules and rules of origin, while establishing compensation mechanisms for countries that may suffer economic losses.
• South Africa has been a major financial supporter of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), contributing $10.7 million between 2004 and 2018, representing a significant portion of the $48.8 million total income from member states during that period.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2020). Strategic choices for South Africa as it enters 2020. https://saiia.org.za/research/strategic-choices-for-south-africa-as-it-enters-2020/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Strategic choices for South Africa as it enters 2020. 2020. https://saiia.org.za/research/strategic-choices-for-south-africa-as-it-enters-2020/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Strategic choices for South Africa as it enters 2020 |date=21 February 2020 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/strategic-choices-for-south-africa-as-it-enters-2020/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2020strategic, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Strategic choices for South Africa as it enters 2020}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2020}, month = feb, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/strategic-choices-for-south-africa-as-it-enters-2020/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }