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This report evaluates the 'Next Generation Policy Directions' project, which trained young researchers from seven developing countries to integrate information society and sustainable development policies. It finds that while youth can directly influence national ICT strategies and bridge policy gaps due to their interdisciplinary flexibility, they require strong institutional support and tailored gender-inclusive strategies to be effective. Key success factors included 'learning by doing' and providing researchers with a sense of ownership over their work.

This report by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) examines the state of services trade within the Southern African Development Community (SADC). It identifies critical deficiencies in core infrastructure services—transport, energy, telecommunications, and finance—as significant constraints on the region's economic growth and international competitiveness. The document reviews regional integration efforts, the impact of the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), and the challenges associated with the movement of natural persons (Mode 4) for service provision.

This report by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) analyzes South Africa's (SA) positions and strategy within the World Trade Organization (WTO) agricultural trade negotiations. It examines the domestic policy-making processes, the influence of stakeholders like Agri SA, and SA's role in international coalitions including the G20, the Cairns Group, and the African Group. The document details SA's specific stances on the three pillars of agriculture negotiations: market access, domestic support, and export competition, while recommending greater transparency and more detailed identification of specific domestic offensive and defensive interests.

This 2006 report analyzes trade and investment barriers between South Africa, India, and Brazil. It finds that while trade is growing, particularly between South Africa and Brazil, it remains hampered by high tariffs, non-tariff barriers, and a lack of awareness among the business sector regarding the IBSA initiative. The report recommends reducing customs duties, improving infrastructure, and involving the private sector in trade agreement implementation.

The research paper compares the differing responses of two regional bodies, ECOWAS and SADC, to political crises in Togo and Zimbabwe in early 2006. It highlights ECOWAS's decisive intervention against a military-backed dynastic succession in Togo and SADC's 'hands-off' approach toward Robert Mugabe's government in Zimbabwe despite violations of electoral codes.

A media statement from a meeting convened by the Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC) and Transparency South Africa in Cape Town on 13 April 2006, addressing large-scale private sector corruption and failures in corporate governance.

This briefing records a discussion by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) on the potential for a trade agreement between the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) and China. It examines China's economic rise, the complementary nature of the two economies, and the political tensions within SACU regarding job losses in light industry versus the welfare gains of cheaper imports.

The National Chairman's Annual Statement 2006 from the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) analyzes the shifting global balance of power, the rise of emerging economies in the South, and the specific geopolitical and economic challenges facing Africa and South Africa.

This research paper examines the evolution of public order policing in South Africa, tracing the transition from the repressive Internal Stability Division of the apartheid era to the current Area Crime Combating Units (ACCUs). The author questions whether the shift in focus toward general crime prevention has eroded the specialized capacity of the police to manage volatile crowd situations and service delivery protests.

This research paper by Cephas Lumina examines the mechanisms used to ensure police accountability and oversight within the Southern African Development Community (SADC). It analyzes the functions of civilian oversight, the international legal obligations of SADC member states to investigate police abuse, and the specific internal and external oversight tools employed across the region, while suggesting a shift toward more proactive, systemic approaches to policing reform.

This report evaluates the first five years of South Africa's metropolitan police departments (MPDs), noting their heavy focus on traffic enforcement over crime prevention due to resource constraints and a lack of investigative powers. It also details the transformation of public order policing into Area Crime Combating Units (ACCUs) and assesses the impact of 'zero tolerance' community courts in the Western Cape, finding that while they improve access to justice, some (like the Cape Town court) may disproportionately target homeless populations.

This research paper by Antony Altbeker for the Institute for Security Studies examines the divergent trends of property crime in South Africa between the late 1990s and 2004. It argues that the decline in car theft and hijacking was partially mirrored by an increase in aggravated robberies, suggesting a displacement effect where criminals shifted their activities as car theft became riskier and less profitable.

This research paper by Prince Mashele of the Institute for Security Studies evaluates the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), contrasting it with previous African socio-economic initiatives. The author argues that NEPAD differs from its predecessors through its acceptance of globalisation, its defined administrative structures, and the introduction of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) to address domestic governance. While the paper notes progress in policy development and specific infrastructure and agricultural projects, it highlights significant challenges regarding implementation capacity, funding gaps, and a lack of continent-wide political ownership.

The document critiques the use of voluntary export restraints and quota systems by South Africa, the European Union, and the United States to limit Chinese textile and apparel imports. The author argues that these measures are 'symptomatic medication' that delay necessary market adjustments and fail to address the fundamental lack of competitiveness in mass-produced clothing.

A statement by WTO Director General Pascal Lamy delivered on February 10, 2006, in Johannesburg, South Africa, outlining the progress made at the Hong Kong Ministerial Conference and the roadmap for concluding the Doha Development Agenda (DDA) by the end of 2006.

A statement by Peter Mandelson, Member of the European Commission, delivered on 10 February 2006, regarding the trade and political relationship between the European Union and South Africa, specifically focusing on the Doha Development Agenda (DDA) and regional integration in Southern Africa.

This statement from the South African Institute of International Affairs argues that the South African Parliament has become increasingly irrelevant due to a 'democratic deficit' where Members of Parliament (MPs) are accountable to political parties rather than the electorate. The author calls for fundamental reconceptualisation of the institution, specifically through electoral reform and the introduction of a social charter to ensure MP accountability.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies argues for the inclusion of women in peace negotiations, peace-building, and post-conflict reconstruction in Africa. It examines the gender-based violence women face during conflict, the historical exclusion of women from political processes, and the potential of international and regional rights-based frameworks—such as those from the UN and AU—to secure gender equality and political representation.

This fact sheet by Friends of the Earth International argues that genetically modified (GM) plants have failed to deliver on promises of reducing hunger and poverty, instead serving to increase the market control and profits of biotechnology multinationals, specifically Monsanto. The document details the limited variety of GM crops, the concentration of their cultivation in a few countries, and the negative socio-economic and environmental impacts across North America, South America, Asia, Europe, and Africa.

This research paper examines the disarmament, demobilisation, and reintegration (DDR) processes in Zimbabwe, Namibia, and South Africa following their respective transitions from liberation wars to peace. The author argues that while disarmament and demobilisation were often achieved, the reintegration of former combatants into civilian life was consistently neglected or poorly implemented across all three nations, leading to long-term security threats and economic burdens.