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This research paper by Mzukisi Qobo examines the global and domestic landscape of beneficial ownership transparency, focusing on the implementation of G20 High-Level Principles. It analyzes the challenges faced by South Africa and other African nations in curbing illicit financial flows (IFFs), money laundering, and corruption, while reviewing the regulatory approaches of several G20 member states.

This research paper analyzes the dynamics of South African foreign direct investment (FDI) and trade within Africa from 2006 to 2018. It finds that while South Africa remains a dominant intra-African investor, its relative influence is declining due to increased competition from global actors, particularly China, and other African nations. The paper highlights South Africa's role as a regional distribution hub and suggests policy shifts toward deeper trade liberalization and better public-private collaboration to maintain its economic footprint.

A keynote speech delivered by Chen Xiaodong, China's Ambassador-designate to South Africa, on October 13, 2020, detailing the evolution of China-Africa cooperation. The speech emphasizes a transition toward market-driven trade, digital economy integration, and infrastructure development, while addressing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the strategic importance of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

This report chapter provides a set of recommendations for mine-affected countries and donors in Southern Africa to ensure sustainable commitment, national capacity building, and the integration of mine action into broader development strategies.

This research paper by Professor Ahmed Mohiddin examines the tendency of executive branches to dominate governance structures in Africa. It analyzes the systemic reasons for this dominance, the capacity failures of legislatures and judiciaries, and the role of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) and civil society in establishing effective checks and balances.

This research paper by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) analyzes the revival of Côte d’Ivoire’s regional diplomacy under President Alassane Ouattara. After a period of decline following the death of Félix Houphouët-Boigny in 1993 and subsequent civil crises, the country is seeking to regain its status as a leading political and economic actor in West Africa through a policy of 'good neighbourliness' and strategic engagement with regional organizations and global powers.

This research paper by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) analyzes the development of the UN Global Compact for Migration (GCM) and the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR). It examines the differences between the two frameworks, the challenges of defining 'migrants' versus 'refugees', and the specific risks associated with the low level of participation from African states in the GCM process.

This policy briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs analyzes the political economy of peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), arguing that regional peace agreements are shaped by the shifting economic power between the eastern Kivus and the southern Katanga province.

This policy briefing examines South Africa's shifting relationship with the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) doctrine and the International Criminal Court (ICC). It argues that while South Africa initially championed human rights as the guiding light of its foreign policy following its democratic transition, it has since adopted a more pragmatic approach. This shift is characterized by suspicion toward initiatives perceived as advancing Western interests and a tension between maintaining continental solidarity within Africa and pursuing ambitions as an emerging global power.

This policy briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) examines the status of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) as it attempts to transition from initial 'base' reviews to 'second-generation' periodic reviews. The author argues that while the APRM has successfully diagnosed governance problems across 17 countries, it has lost momentum and must now adapt its processes to improve efficiency, ensure the implementation of National Programmes of Action (NPoAs), and better utilize institutional memory.

This policy briefing, published by the South African Institute of International Affairs in October 2015, compares the Open Government Partnership (OGP) with other international peer-review mechanisms, including the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), the UN's Universal Periodic Review (UPR), and the OECD's Anti-Bribery Convention Review (OECDA). It argues that the OGP's flexible, civil-society-led approach offers unique benefits for transparency and governance, and suggests that African nations should seek OGP membership and harmonise it with existing review obligations.

This policy briefing examines the ecological importance and governance challenges of the Eastern Arc Mountains in Tanzania and Kenya. It highlights that approximately 70% of the original forest cover has been lost due to deforestation and degradation, driven largely by population growth and a heavy reliance on biomass for energy. Despite a comprehensive policy framework and significant donor funding—including REDD+ initiatives—the document argues that governance failures, lack of state funding, and poor enforcement of local by-laws have hindered conservation efforts.

This policy briefing argues that while gender equity is recognized in international and regional frameworks, women in Africa still face systemic social, economic, and political barriers that hinder their equitable participation in the 'restoration economy'—the economic activity related to ecological restoration. The author contends that empowering women requires a multi-dimensional approach involving action-oriented decision-making, systemic legal reforms, and improved financial inclusion to move women beyond roles as mere providers of labor to active entrepreneurs and decision-makers across the restoration value chain.

This policy briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) analyzes South Africa's role as the host of the 2013 BRICS Summit. It examines how South Africa can leverage its membership in the BRICS group to advance its own national interests and promote the development and industrialization of Africa, while navigating the complexities of regional leadership and the predominantly bilateral nature of BRICS-Africa economic engagements.

This research paper examines the risk of stranded assets in Africa's extractives sectors as the global economy transitions toward low-carbon energy and a circular economy. It analyzes the economic threats to fossil-fuel-dependent nations, the potential for 'premature deindustrialisation', and the opportunities presented by the rising demand for critical minerals. The author argues for a 'just transition' that prioritizes social and developmental goals through economic diversification and improved governance to avoid the 'resource curse'.

This briefing examines the African Capacity for Immediate Response to Crisis (ACIRC), a proposed rapid deployment instrument for the African Union (AU) initiated by South Africa. It analyzes the ACIRC's role as a stopgap for the African Standby Force's (ASF) missing rapid deployment capability, detailing the operational, political, and logistical challenges facing its implementation, and suggests ways to integrate it with AU and UN peace architectures.

This policy brief examines the challenges of measuring and reporting local procurement in the African mining sector. It argues that aggregate spending figures often mask a lack of genuine local value addition, as many 'local' suppliers are merely importers. While some governments and international standards are beginning to demand more granular data, the document highlights a significant gap between current reporting practices and the data needed to steer effective economic policy.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs outlines Africa's priorities and demands for COP28, emphasizing the need for a fundamental overhaul of the global financial architecture to ensure equitable climate finance, accelerated adaptation funding, and the operationalization of the Loss and Damage Fund.

This policy note, published by the South African Institute of International Affairs in October 2025, advocates for a shift from incremental to transformational climate adaptation in Africa. It outlines the conceptual differences between these approaches, identifies systemic barriers to implementation across the continent, and provides strategic recommendations for South Africa's G20 presidency to champion scalable, just, and context-specific adaptation frameworks.

This policy brief by the Brookings Institution, published via the South African Institute of International Affairs, argues for strengthening the G20 Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable (GSDR) to address unsustainable debt in the Global South. The authors propose reforming the Common Framework for Debt Treatments (CF), integrating climate financing into debt management, and addressing the systemic drivers of high debt service costs, particularly for African nations.