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This report analyzes South Africa's election as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council (UNSC) for the 2019–2020 term. It examines the current geopolitical dynamics of the Council, the expectations placed on South Africa as a regional power, and provides strategic recommendations for the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) to maximize the country's international visibility and influence.

This report summarizes a seminar held on October 17, 2008, at the United Nations Conference Center regarding the implications of the 2008 US Presidential Election for Africa. The event featured presentations by Dr. Steven Erkovich and Dr. Joseph Vincent Ebode, who analyzed US foreign policy motivations, the specific propositions of candidates Barack Obama and John McCain, and the strategic rationale behind Obama's candidacy.

A comprehensive record of the criminal trial of Dr. Wouter Basson, former head of the apartheid-era chemical and biological warfare programme known as Project Coast. The trial, which took place between October 1999 and April 2002, involved 67 charges including fraud, murder, conspiracy to murder, and drug trafficking. The proceedings detailed the use of front companies, the manufacture of incapacitants and toxins, and alleged human rights violations. Dr. Basson was ultimately found not guilty on all remaining charges on April 11, 2002.

This document is a rebuttal by Amory B. Lovins of the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) to an article and subsequent response by Charles C. Mann in The Atlantic. Lovins argues that Mann ignores the role of efficiency and technological innovation in reducing oil demand and misrepresents the reliability and economic viability of renewable energy, specifically in Germany.

The document argues that the U.S. transportation sector can move entirely off oil by 2050 through a strategy of 'ultralighting first' followed by electrification. By reducing tractive load (mass and drag), vehicles can achieve order-of-magnitude efficiency gains, making batteries and fuel cells more affordable. This approach, combined with productivity improvements in logistics and urban design, could save trillions of dollars and significantly reduce global carbon emissions.

The report 'HOW NOT TO PARACHUTE MORE CATS' by Hunter and Amory Lovins of the Rocky Mountain Institute argues that global resource crises—including energy, water, and climate change—can be solved by understanding interconnections and prioritizing resource efficiency over the expansion of supply. The authors advocate for a 'least-cost' approach, demonstrating that energy efficiency and renewable technologies are often cheaper and more effective than fossil fuels or nuclear power. They suggest that these technical solutions can simultaneously improve economic health, reduce nuclear proliferation, and enhance global security by reducing dependence on volatile resources like Mideast oil.

This report chapter examines the ecological and economic failures of industrial agriculture and proposes a transition toward 'natural capitalism' in food production. It argues that while industrial methods increased raw output, they did so by depleting natural capital—specifically soil health and genetic diversity—and creating a chemical dependency that threatens long-term food security and climate stability. The text advocates for a shift toward biological farming, perennial polycultures, and ecosystem-based livestock management to restore soil carbon and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

This report chapter examines the 'industrial metabolism' of the United States, arguing that the current industrial system is characterized by massive waste of natural resources, human potential, and financial capital. It contends that conventional economic measures like GDP are misleading because they count the costs of waste and social decay as economic growth, masking a decline in actual quality of life and the depletion of natural capital.

This research paper by Jodie Keane explores the nature of intra-Commonwealth value chains using a mixed-methods approach. It analyzes trade intensity, shifts in intermediate goods sourcing, and firm-level data to determine how Commonwealth members integrate into regional versus global value chains (GVCs). The findings suggest a prevalence of additive value chains and a specific tendency for Small Island Developing States to export within the Commonwealth.

This case study examines the challenges of pharmaceutical procurement and regulatory harmonisation within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. It highlights how fragmented registration policies, weak regulatory capacity, and intellectual property barriers hinder access to essential medicines for treating HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and non-communicable diseases. The document emphasizes South Africa's pivotal role due to its advanced pharmaceutical sector and regulatory framework, while noting that political and economic interests often obstruct regional integration.

This report documents a roundtable held in Johannesburg in June 2014, focused on revitalising multilateral trade negotiations within the World Trade Organization (WTO) following the 2013 Bali package. The discussions centered on the rise of mega-regional trade agreements, the implementation of the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA), the future of the Doha Development Agenda (DDA), agricultural impasses, and the integration of African economies into Global Value Chains (GVCs).

This working document, compiled by the Network of Southern Think Tanks (NeST), proposes a conceptual framework to define, account for, and measure the quality and impact of South-South co-operation (SSC). It seeks to establish a common narrative and methodological approach for Southern partners to track development co-operation independently of the OECD-DAC's Official Development Assistance (ODA) standards.

This diagnostic report synthesises findings from five dialogues held in developing countries to explore paths for revitalising multilateral trade negotiations following the stalemate of the Doha Round. It examines the rise of mega-regional trade agreements (MPTAs) and plurilateral approaches as alternatives to the World Trade Organization's (WTO) consensus-based model, while highlighting the specific needs of developing countries and least developed countries (LDCs) in the context of global value chains (GVCs) and agricultural reform.

A statement by Trevor Manuel, Minister in the Presidency for National Planning, delivered on 18 September 2009, discussing Africa's economic vulnerabilities and the need for the continent to strengthen its regional integration and institutional capacity to effectively influence global governance reform.

This research paper by Zhu Jiejin discusses the establishment and strategic role of the BRICS New Development Bank (NDB) as a mechanism for new South–South co-operation. The author argues that the NDB is designed to address the significant infrastructure financing gaps in developing countries and to supplement, rather than replace, existing multilateral development institutions. The paper proposes five guiding principles for the NDB's institutional design: fair governance, market-based operation, non-intervention with high standards, localisation, and constructive supplement.

This policy brief analyzes the barriers to technology transfer from Chinese telecommunications equipment providers, specifically Huawei and ZTE, to South African companies. Based on fieldwork conducted in 2015, the author identifies three primary obstacles: the rise of managed services contracts, challenges regarding the legitimacy and professionalism of Chinese firms, and a weak institutional and regulatory framework in South Africa.

This policy brief examines the adaptation and integration of Chinese immigrants in Zambia, challenging the narrative of 'Chinese self-isolation' through survey data and comparative analysis. It argues that perceived isolation is often a result of workplace requirements rather than ethnocentricity and recommends that African governments and Chinese entities improve localization efforts.

This policy brief examines the integration of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) into Africa, focusing on the shift from resource trade to infrastructure and industrial cooperation. It highlights the opportunities for regional integration and industrialization, while warning of the financial risks associated with debt-based lending and the need for African governments to ensure project viability and local capacity building.

This policy brief examines the impact of Chinese investments in Tanzania's plastic recycling industry and the subsequent effects of China's 2018 import ban on waste materials. It highlights how Chinese firms have facilitated technology transfer and local business growth, while also noting significant environmental and health risks and a potential decline in local waste sourcing due to the import of cleaner waste from Europe and the US.

This policy brief examines the development of railway infrastructure in Ethiopia, comparing the Chinese-funded Addis Ababa-Djibouti standard gauge railway (SGR) with the Turkish-built Awash-Kombolcha-Hara Gebeya/Weldiya (AKH) line. It analyzes the trade-offs between different financing models, the effectiveness of technology transfer and capacity building, and the role of Ethiopian government agency in project design.