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1,253 documents from South African Institute of International Affairs
Global terror: Africa not immune to terror
This research paper argues that Africa is vulnerable to global Islamist terrorism and that the African Union (AU) has failed to implement its counter-terrorism frameworks. The author highlights the underfunding and understaffing of the African Centre for the Study and Research on Terrorism in Algiers and proposes a practical, incremental strategy for building capacity based on the specific strengths of key states and regional organisations.
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Document type: Research paper
The Chasm Between How Westerners and Muslims View the Conflict That Binds Them
This research paper examines the divergent perspectives between Western leaders and the Muslim world regarding the 'war on terror,' arguing that while the West frames the conflict as a defense of freedom, many Muslims view it as a reaction to Western policies and actions in the Muslim world.
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Document type: Research paper
Moçambique: Relatório do País
This document provides a brief historical overview of Mozambique's transition from a one-party state to a democracy, beginning with the 1990 constitution and the 1992 General Peace Agreement.
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Document type: Report
Mauritius Country Report
The Mauritius Country Report examines the country's Westminster-style parliamentary system, electoral model, and the interactions between parliamentarians, the executive, and civil society, while providing a conceptual overview of the parliamentary opposition.
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Document type: Report
APRM: The Need for Transparency
This research paper argues that the legitimacy of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), the flagship programme of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (Nepad), is threatened by a lack of transparency and government control over the review process. The author contends that for the APRM to succeed in providing home-grown solutions for Africa, governments must ensure civil society leads the governing structures and that the self-assessment process is inclusive and independent.
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Document type: Research paper
Nigeria: Yar’adua must rekindle NEPAD
This research paper argues that Nigeria's implementation of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), an offshoot of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), has been marred by government manipulation, poor planning, and a lack of genuine civil society involvement. The author suggests that the transition to President Yar’adua's administration provides an opportunity to restore the process's credibility by decoupling the finalization of the Country Self-Assessment Report (CSAR) and the Programme of Action (PoA) from government control.
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Document type: Research paper
NEPAD should re-design Africa’s economy
This research paper argues that sub-Saharan Africa's underdevelopment is caused by the mismanagement of economic surpluses by political elites and a structural power imbalance between these elites and private sector producers. The author contends that the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (Nepad) fails to address this fundamental malaise and suggests that true development requires redistributing political power to producers through land ownership reform, direct market access, and independent financial institutions.
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Document type: Research paper
Africa breaks down on neglected roads
This research paper examines the crisis of road infrastructure decay across Africa, highlighting the gap between maintenance needs and available national budgets, the resulting economic losses, and various funding and management strategies being tested to address the deficit.
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Document type: Research paper
A deed changes hands and a farm still thrives
This case study examines land reform in South Africa, focusing on the successful transfer of the Mataffin Farm in Nelspruit as a model for restitution. It contrasts this success with broader systemic challenges, including budget constraints, violent rural conflict, and ideological disputes over property rights and the risk of economic collapse similar to Zimbabwe.
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Document type: Case study
A Year of Checks on Ballots
This report provides a state-by-state overview of scheduled and potential elections across several African nations in 2008, noting a general trend where incumbents face little threat from fragmented oppositions, though some countries are experiencing significant leadership transitions.
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Document type: Report
Where the Contract Begins or Unravels
The document discusses the state of democracy and elections in Africa, arguing that the legitimacy of power must rest on the principle of universal suffrage rather than the historical legacy of liberation struggles.
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Document type: Statement
SADC nails flag to polls
This research paper analyzes the 'SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections,' a code adopted by Southern African Development Community leaders on August 17 to establish regional rules for political contests and reduce conflicting verdicts between observer missions.
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Document type: Research paper
It's good to be the king
This research paper examines the systemic advantages held by ruling parties in African electoral democracies, noting that incumbents often maintain power through state resource control, weak opposition structures, and the legacy of liberation movements.
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Document type: Research paper
A Business Vision for Africa
This report by the South African Institute of International Affairs outlines a business-centric vision for Africa's economic development, arguing that the continent must prioritize political stability, basic infrastructure maintenance, access to credit, and the rule of law over large-scale projects or long-term social goals to achieve immediate growth.
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Document type: Report
No comment, but please, that's off the record
The research paper examines the systemic failure of government communication and media relations across Africa, highlighting a persistent culture of suspicion, under-resourced public relations departments, and a lack of transparency among ruling parties, particularly those originating from liberation movements.
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Document type: Research paper
Growth Priorities for NEPAD
The report outlines a pro-growth agenda for Africa, emphasizing the need to prioritize infrastructure maintenance and growth-spurring programs over current consumption. It proposes specific reforms across legal systems, the business environment, and infrastructure to reverse economic marginalization.
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Document type: Report
A Posse of Guns for Hire
This research paper examines the intersection of poor governance and the presence of unemployed former combatants in Africa, using the foiled 2004 coup attempt in Equatorial Guinea as a case study to highlight the risks of mercenary activity and the inadequacy of current legal frameworks.
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Document type: Research paper
How to return a phone call
A guide providing recommendations for press secretaries and government communicators on managing media relations, crisis communication, and strategic messaging to effectively convey official positions and policies.
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Document type: Guide
Enough Promises: Africa Needs to Set Priorities
This report by the South African Institute of International Affairs argues that the New Partnership for Africa's Development (Nepad) has failed to translate the identification of problems into actionable solutions. Based on dialogues with 56 business organisations and five studies, the text asserts that government priorities are misaligned with business needs, specifically regarding corruption and infrastructure, and argues that economic prosperity is a prerequisite for long-term political stability in Africa.
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Document type: Report
Editorial: Fair land reform without violence
An editorial by the South African Institute of International Affairs discussing the necessity of fair land reform in Africa, contrasting the approach of Robert Mugabe with more systematic efforts in Kenya and South Africa, and emphasizing the need for technical and financial support for new farmers.
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Document type: Statement