Search Climate Insights Directory

This report analyzes the potential for the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) to increase goods exports to the United States by transitioning from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) to a formal Free Trade Agreement (FTA). It concludes that while an FTA could provide legal certainty and extend duty-free access to specific products, the most significant benefits would likely come from relaxing rules of origin and limiting the use of US trade remedies, such as anti-dumping duties.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies examines the purported link between the HIV/AIDS epidemic, the resulting increase in orphaned children, and rising crime rates in Africa, particularly southern Africa. The author argues that while the epidemic creates environments conducive to crime through poverty and demographic shifts, there is little empirical evidence to suggest that AIDS orphans are disproportionately more likely to commit crimes than other poor children.

This conference report, prepared by Masiiwa Rusare of the Trade & Development Studies Centre (TRADES Centre), documents a regional meeting held in September 2005 in Harare, Zimbabwe. The event focused on the experiences of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) in negotiating Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) with the European Union (EU). The report details the institutional structures of the negotiations, areas of convergence and divergence between the two regional blocs and the EU, the specific interests of South Africa, and the challenges of integrating non-state actors and the poor into the trade process.

This research paper analyzes the challenges facing the SADC-EPA group in negotiating Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) with the European Union, focusing on the complexities of multiple membership in regional trade blocs and the impact of the Trade and Development Cooperation Agreement (TDCA) between South Africa and the European Community.

This report, based on a 2004 conference hosted by the South African Institute of International Affairs, examines the impacts of the Trade, Development, and Co-operation Agreement (TDCA) between South Africa and the European Union. It analyzes the TDCA as a potential benchmark for Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) being negotiated between the EU and other Southern African states, while highlighting the systemic challenges posed by overlapping regional memberships (the 'Spaghetti Bowl') and the legal complexities of the Southern African Customs Union (SACU).

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies examines the incidence, magnitude, and control of money laundering in Southern Africa. It analyzes predicate crimes—primarily drug trafficking and corruption—the role of informal remittance systems, and the legislative and institutional challenges facing the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region in implementing anti-money laundering frameworks.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies examines the intersection of anti-personnel landmines and the development of peacekeeping standby forces in Africa. It analyzes the operational challenges posed by landmines in irregular African conflicts, the progress of the Ottawa Convention across the continent, and the specific legislative and policy frameworks adopted by South Africa and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to combat mine proliferation.

Botswana is characterized by a paradox of high GDP growth and strong fiscal management—driven largely by diamond mining—alongside declining human development indicators, high income inequality, and a severe HIV/AIDS crisis.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development examines the complexities of trade-related subsidies, focusing on the divide between developed and developing nations. It argues that current WTO indicators for measuring subsidies are inadequate for resolving trade disputes and proposes the use of 'terms-of-trade' as a more effective metric. The document provides detailed case studies on the subsidy regimes and trade impacts in India, the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), and Brazil, highlighting how subsidies in OECD countries often harm the economies of developing nations, particularly in agriculture.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies explores whether auditors in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region can provide unique insights into money laundering and the extent to which they can assist in combating it. Based on surveys and interviews with professionals from four multinational auditing firms, the paper concludes that while general auditors are poorly positioned to detect money laundering, forensic auditors may offer valuable qualitative data. It further identifies significant gaps in auditors' understanding of anti-money laundering regulations and highlights systemic challenges in the SADC region that hinder the effectiveness of legal measures.

The first issue of the SADC Barometer, published by the South African Institute of International Affairs in March 2003, evaluates the Southern African Development Community's (SADC) internal restructuring, regional security integration, and economic convergence. The report highlights significant disparities between South Africa and other member states, the impact of HIV/AIDS on food security, and the challenges of implementing a regional Free Trade Area (FTA) amidst non-tariff barriers and political instability in countries like Zimbabwe.

This report by Jenny Clover for the Institute for Security Studies examines the debate over Genetically Modified (GM) foods in Africa, specifically within the context of a food crisis in Southern Africa in 2002. The author argues that while GM technology offers potential productive gains, it cannot solve hunger on its own because food security is a complex issue involving economic, social, and political factors. The document highlights the tension between immediate humanitarian needs for food aid and long-term concerns regarding biodiversity, multinational corporate control of seeds, and trade restrictions, particularly with the European Union.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies analyses the outcomes of the 2002 summits in Durban, marking the transition from the Organization of African Unity (OAU) to the African Union (AU). It details the establishment of the AU's core governance structures, the protocol for the Peace and Security Council, and various declarations regarding democratic elections and continental development frameworks like NEPAD and CSSDCA.

This research paper analyzes South Africa's foreign policy toward Zimbabwe from 1994 to 2002, arguing that Zimbabwe has been of marginal interest to Pretoria despite deep historical, economic, and security links. The author identifies three phases of policy: an initial lack of specific policy, a period of brinkmanship and frustration (1994–1999), and a subsequent 'twin-track' approach of constructive engagement and containment starting in 2000. The paper highlights the economic devastation in Zimbabwe following the lapse of a 1964 Customs Agreement and the failure of the two nations to establish a cohesive regional security mechanism within SADC.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies examines the role of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) in controlling the northern and eastern borders of South Africa. It details the operational structure of the Regional Joint Task Force: North (RJTFN), the resources available for border patrol, identified illegal crossing points, and trends in firearm seizures and smuggling between August 1999 and October 2000.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in Southern Africa, focusing on the failures of disarmament and demobilisation in UN peacekeeping operations and the subsequent rise of illicit arms trafficking. It argues that the lack of effective weapons control during conflict resolution processes has fueled regional instability and criminal activity, while proposing a coordinated regional approach involving SADC, SARPCCO, and the OAU to manage stocks and reduce the culture of violence.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the evolution of security architectures in Southern Africa, tracing the transition from the informal Front-Line States (FLS) alliance to the formal structures of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), specifically the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security, the Inter-State Defence and Security Committee (ISDSC), and the Southern African Police Chiefs Co-operation Organisation (SARPCCO).

This research paper assesses Western efforts to develop African peacekeeping capabilities in the late 1990s, specifically focusing on the 'P-3 Initiative' (US, UK, and France) and Danish contributions. The authors argue that while these capacity-building programs provide tangible training and equipment, they are primarily driven by Western domestic political desires to avoid direct military or financial involvement in African conflicts. The document also details the institutional, financial, and operational limitations of African regional bodies like the OAU, SADC, and ECOWAS in managing peace and security independently.

This 1998 report by the Institute for Security Studies assesses the nature and origins of organised crime in South Africa, tracing its evolution from domestic street gangs to sophisticated transnational networks. It examines the impact of political transition, the role of state corruption, and the shift in police strategies from incident-driven responses to intelligence-led operations.

This research paper introduces the 'Towards Collaborative Peace' (TCP) project by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), which examines the illegal trade of small arms and light weapons in Southern Africa and their role in fostering a 'culture of violence'. The project employs a south-south approach, comparing trends in Southern Africa with those in the southern part of South America, specifically within the Mercosur countries, to propose regional control mechanisms and local strategies for reversing violence.