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This policy briefing examines the Permanent Okavango River Basin Water Commission (OKACOM), a joint authority managing the Cubango-Okavango River System between Angola, Namibia, and Botswana. It analyzes the drivers of OKACOM's 20 years of successful cooperation and identifies future challenges, including climate change and asymmetrical economic benefits, while providing recommendations for sustainable trans-boundary water governance.

This briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the agenda of the 2014 G-20 Summit hosted by Australia, focusing on the interconnectedness of global economic growth, resilience, and development.

This document is the introductory section and table of contents for a report titled "Regional Business Barriers: Unlocking Economic Potential in Southern Africa," co-published by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH in November 2014. It outlines the report's structure, which includes analyses of the business-enabling environment and regional economic trends, alongside nine specific case studies focusing on trade, finance, energy, and regulatory barriers within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.

This policy briefing examines the decline in momentum of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) in Zambia, focusing on the waning involvement of civil society and challenges in implementing the National Programme of Action (NPoA). While Zambia initially pioneered innovative civil society engagement, the process has since struggled with funding, coordination, and a lack of integration into national development planning.

This policy briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the limited participation of African nations in the G-20. While South Africa is the only permanent African member, the document argues that the current ad hoc invitation of the African Union (AU) and NEPAD representatives is insufficient for a coordinated continental voice. It proposes establishing a coordinating secretariat within the AU Commission to prepare common African positions and suggests leveraging lessons from previous successes in aid effectiveness and BRICS outreach to improve Africa's influence on global economic governance.

This policy brief analyzes the differing health diplomacy approaches of China and the West during the 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa. It contrasts 'vertical' interventions, which target specific diseases, with 'horizontal' systems that build general healthcare infrastructure, arguing that a combination of both is necessary for long-term pandemic prevention.

This policy briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs analyzes the behavior and voting patterns of African states within the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) between July 2010 and July 2014. It highlights a tension between the African Group's organized coordination and its diverse, often inconsistent, responses to human rights violations both within Africa and globally.

This policy briefing analyzes the efforts of Côte d’Ivoire to regain its regional leadership position in West Africa following two decades of political instability. It examines the country's diplomatic assets, the challenges it faces in internal stability and institutional capacity, and its alignment with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Vision 2020 goals.

This policy briefing analyzes the decline of Nigeria's regional and continental diplomatic influence, arguing that a 'perverse hiatus' between its domestic instability and its foreign policy goals has led the country to punch below its weight despite being Africa's nominally largest economy as of May 2014.

The document analyzes Kenya's regional diplomacy, characterizing it as historically conservative and reluctant to exercise political leadership despite economic strength. It highlights a shift toward 'hard power' via military intervention in Somalia and President Uhuru Kenyatta's pan-African pivot to counter ICC proceedings. It also details the strategic blunders and economic imbalances defining Kenya's relationship with South Africa.

This research paper analyzes the potential costs and benefits for Ethiopia of joining the COMESA Free Trade Area (FTA). It finds that Ethiopia's infant manufacturing sector is not yet competitive and that joining the FTA could increase net unemployment. However, it notes that Ethiopia is successfully expanding economic cooperation in energy and transport with neighbors such as Kenya, Sudan, Djibouti, and South Sudan, suggesting that bilateral relations may be more beneficial than formal trade liberalization.

This research paper argues that the mined diamond industry faces an existential threat from synthetic diamonds, which are increasingly entering the gem market undetected. The author contends that the Kimberley Process (KP) must expand its mandate beyond conflict diamonds to include human rights and a robust traceability system for both rough and polished stones to preserve diamonds' status as a store of value.

This briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs analyzes three potential scenarios for the renewal of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), emphasizing the need for investment certainty and the diversification of African exports beyond energy.

This research paper by Ivan Crouzel, published by the South African Institute of International Affairs in August 2014, examines the relationship between electoral processes and political instability in Africa. It argues that elections often become critical moments of tension because they are primarily viewed as a means of accessing state resources. The author advocates for a shift from purely technical electoral support to a broader approach based on inclusive political settlements, multi-actor dialogue, and the strengthening of credible electoral management bodies and domestic observation networks to ensure legitimacy and peace.

A fact sheet by the South African Institute of International Affairs explaining the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), a US-Africa trade deal active since 2001 that provides duty-free US market access to qualifying sub-Saharan African states.

This research paper examines South Africa's economic challenges within the BRICS context, focusing on its struggle to transition from an upper-middle-income to an upper-income country while facing de-industrialisation and deep-seated structural inequality inherited from the Apartheid era.

This research paper analyzes the shift in India's foreign policy under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, arguing for a transition from the perceived strategic confusion of the previous UPA government to a pragmatic approach. It suggests that India should prioritize regional connectivity in South Asia, address emerging security threats like climate change and cyber-attacks, and utilize BRICS and IBSA to advocate for a more equitable system of global governance.

This research paper analyzes the Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA) and the New Development Bank, focusing on the economic and political motivations of the BRICS nations in creating these institutions as alternatives to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

This fact sheet provides an overview of the proposed New Development Bank (NDB) and the Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA) being negotiated by the BRICS nations as of July 2014.

This research paper by Ivan Crouzel for the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) examines the relationship between electoral processes and political instability in Africa. It argues that elections often crystallise tensions because they are viewed as the primary means of accessing state-owned resources, leading to acute competition in fragile regimes. The author contends that technical electoral support is insufficient and must be replaced by a broader democratic governance approach that prioritises inclusive political agreements, credible election management bodies (EMBs), and multi-stakeholder conflict prevention mechanisms.