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This case study examines the operational challenges faced by Palfridge Limited, a manufacturer of camping, domestic, commercial, and solar refrigerators. The company struggles with customs inefficiencies at the border between South Africa and Swaziland, high electricity costs and instability, trade policy barriers regarding EU imports and Zimbabwean exports, and the loss of skilled local labor to the South African market.

This case study examines the trade barriers faced by Lobatse Clay Works, a brick producer exporting from Botswana into Southern Africa, highlighting systemic inconsistencies in regulations, taxation, and infrastructure.

This case study examines Nakara, a Namibian leather manufacturing company founded in 1980, detailing its operational structure, export markets, and the systemic regulatory and financial barriers it faces when trading with South Africa and other regions.

This case study describes the operational challenges faced by ETS ALBARTOS, a commodity trading company established in 1992 in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. The company reports significant barriers to business growth, including systemic corruption, inefficient administrative procedures for permits and imports, poor infrastructure, and difficulties in accessing bank loans.

This case study describes a Build-Operate-Transfer public-private partnership (PPP) established in 2009 to create a 425-bed referral hospital and three satellite clinics in Lesotho. The project, costing approximately US$100 million, involved a consortium led by Netcare SA Healthcare Group and the Lesotho government, facing significant challenges regarding national policy, public perception of private healthcare, and government capacity to manage PPPs.

This report examines the drivers and flows of tropical timber exports from the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) through Uganda to regional markets, highlighting the prevalence of unregulated trade and the disparity in benefits among actors within the supply chain.

This research paper examines the bilateral relationship between South Africa and Nigeria, highlighting a mix of strong economic ties and diplomatic tensions. It argues for the institutionalization of their cooperation to move beyond the influence of individual leaders and to better address regional and global challenges.

This research paper evaluates the first ten years of the African Union (AU), contrasting its developmental mandate with the decolonisation focus of its predecessor, the OAU. It examines the AU's progress in governance, institutional infrastructure, and peacekeeping, while highlighting a loss of momentum in conflict resolution and a gap between ambitious goals and structural realities.

This policy briefing examines the tropical timber trade from the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to and through Uganda into the wider East African region. It highlights the challenges of regulating a trade characterized by informal operators and middlemen, and provides recommendations for improving regional coordination, domestic regulation in Uganda, and the use of existing platforms like the ICGLR and the Albertine Rift Strategic Planning Process to promote sustainable development.

This research paper examines the evolving role of the BRICS grouping amidst a slowdown in China's economy. It argues that while the group was initially viewed through the lens of economic growth engines, its current value lies in political economy and its collective assertiveness in global economic governance, including efforts to reform the IMF and reduce reliance on the US dollar.

This policy briefing examines the rapid expansion of economic and political ties between Chad and China since 2006, centered primarily on oil investment and the Rônier project. It analyzes how President Idriss Déby has integrated Chinese assistance into his domestic political strategy and the resulting tensions over oil pricing and regional security.

This research paper analyzes South Africa's voting patterns and foreign policy achievements during its first (2007-2008) and second (2011-2012) terms as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). The author assesses the country's progress toward its 'African Agenda,' including goals of South-South and North-South cooperation and the pursuit of permanent African representation on the Council.

This research paper analyzes South Africa's voting patterns and foreign policy achievements during its first (2007-2008) and second (2011-2012) terms as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council (UNSC). The author finds that South Africa has become more confident, increasing its co-sponsorship of resolutions and successfully promoting its 'African Agenda,' particularly regarding cooperation between the UNSC and the African Union (AU).

This case study examines the operational challenges faced by Coca-Cola Swaziland (CONCO LTD), a food manufacturing group producing soft drink concentrate for 60 bottling companies across 20 African countries. The document details systemic barriers in transport, customs, and regulatory compliance that hinder the company's efficiency and trade.

This research paper by Daniel Large for the South African Institute of International Affairs examines China's engagement in Sudan between the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) and the independence of South Sudan in July 2011. It analyzes how Beijing transitioned from a predominantly bilateral, oil-driven relationship with Khartoum to a more complex, multifaceted engagement that included diplomatic and development efforts in Southern Sudan and peacekeeping in Darfur.

This research paper examines the global significance of Rare Earth Elements (REEs), China's dominant market position and strategic export restrictions, and South Africa's role in establishing non-Chinese supply chains through specific mining projects.

This research paper argues that South Africa should lead a campaign to nominate a qualified African candidate for the presidency of the World Bank to challenge the historical precedent of American appointments and advocate for global economic governance reform.

This research paper analyzes the challenges and opportunities for establishing a common trade and investment agenda among the BRICS nations. It highlights the tension between complementary economic relationships—where China imports resources from Brazil, Russia, and South Africa—and conflicting national strategies to promote domestic manufacturing. The author suggests that BRICS cooperation should focus on resuscitating the WTO Doha round, engaging with China's shift toward a consumption-led economic model, and coordinating currency reform positions within the G20.

This seminar report, compiled by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) and the Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment (ACODE), documents a March 2012 meeting in Kampala, Uganda. The event brought together 44 delegates to discuss the governance of Africa's natural resources, focusing on oil, mining, and renewable resources (land, forestry, and fisheries). The report highlights the tension between the potential for wealth generation and the risks of corruption, conflict, and 'elite capture', while emphasizing the need for transparency, local community inclusion, and African-led research and policy solutions.

This report examines the potential political and social impacts of Uganda's transition to an oil-producing state, highlighting risks related to military influence and local community grievances in the Lake Albert region.