South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA)

📹 What a year! 2024 marked 90 years of SAIIA, a milestone that reflects our enduring commitment to fostering dialogue and advancing international cooperation. We're deeply grateful to all our partners, supporters, alumni and friends for your support and engagement along the way. Wishing you a safe and joyous festive season. Our offices close on 13 December and will re-open on 6 January 2025. For now, we leave you with our 'History & Highlights' video on SAIIA’s 90-year journey: https://lnkd.in/d-jFqjvy

In this final newsletter for the year, we hone in on the #AfCFTA’s Digital Trade Protocol, #electoralreform in South Africa and the state of #democraticgovernance in Africa. We also round up SAIIA’s most read research of 2024.

📸 On 20th November, we marked SAIIA’s 90th anniversary at a reception with partners, stakeholders, alumni and colleagues. It was a night of looking back with pride and looking forward with hope. The memorable evening began with an address by Moeletsi Mbeki, chairman of SAIIA's National Council, and was filled with engaging conversations, thought-provoking art and a heartfelt tribute. We unveiled a new art installation at our Johannesburg headquarters which explores the theme of transformation and invites reflection on Africa's ever-evolving identity. A part of the evening was dedicated to honouring the memory of our Director of Research, Neuma Grobbelaar, who passed away last month. She leaves behind an impactful legacy and an indelible mark on all who worked with her. SAIIA’s chief executive Elizabeth Sidiropoulos reflected on the Institute's evolution, milestones and the massive year ahead for us as co-leaders of the T20 South Africa. Here's to the next 90 years! 🥂

[TOP 10 READS] 2024 has been a tumultuous year with a record number of elections, continuing geopolitical conflicts, a growing debt crisis and slow progress on climate change commitments. Through 2024, SAIIA has provided readers with a coherent, informed voice on topics including: 🙋♂️ Democratic governance in Africa ⚒️ Critical minerals supply chains 📉 Macroeconomic resilience 💱 Digital and local currencies Here are our most-read research papers 📚 https://bit.ly/4ithJMF #democracy #geopolitics #climatechange #elections Deon Cloete Letitia Jentel Francois Pretorius Bezawit Eshetu Gizaw Adrian Joseph Dr. Lauren A. Johnston (江诗伦) Chukwuka Onyekwena Oluwatosin Edafe Isabel Bosman Humphrey Njogu Brian Nyaware Hannah Sack Andrew Gilder Olivia Rumble Hebatalla Taha

🎉 Welcome to the T20 South Africa LinkedIn page! We are honoured to lead this G20 engagement group under the theme "Consolidate and Sustain". The Institute for Global Dialogue, the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) and Institute for Pan-African Thought and Conversation (IPATC) are excited to drive impactful research and collaboration that will shape the G20 agenda. We hope you'll join us on this journey. ➡️ Visit our website: www.t20southafrica.org 📢 The call for T20 abstracts opens in January 2025. Stay tuned! #T20 #GlobalSolutions #ThinkTanks #G20 #SouthAfrica #ConsolidateAndSustain

[NEW📚] In the South African context, where democracy functions in principle but in practice fails to deliver satisfactorily on developmental and human rights outcomes, voting as an expression of democracy becomes hollow, writes Tessa Dooms. Based on the outcomes of a series of workshops by SAIIA and the Rivonia Circle, this research argues for electoral reforms that respond to voter expectations of participation, development and accountability. Read more here 📥 https://bit.ly/4g4PGl6 #electoralreform #democracy #elections

Will the #GNU succeed in South Africa? There is no one-size-fits-all model of coalition governance. Our latest report draws out lessons from other African countries on how coalition partners and leaders can navigate this political tightrope. Download the report: https://bit.ly/41cPeg0 by Isabel Bosman, Laura Rubidge and Steven Gruzd. #coalitions #coalitiongovernance

[Interview] Public debt, the just energy transition, sustainable economic development, food security and artificial intelligence will top the agenda of South Africa’s #G20 presidency. These priorities will take centre stage at this week’s Sherpa and Finance and Central Bank Deputies’ meetings in Johannesburg as SAIIA Foreign Policy Researcher Laura Rubidge tells SABC. Watch here 📺 https://bit.ly/3D6zcKV #economicdevelopment #justtransition #publicdebt

[In the media] SAIIA Climate Change Policy Researcher Jordan Mc Lean outlines what South Africa’s #G20 presidency means for the African continent, the challenges and opportunities it presents and how it could reshape global perceptions of Africa’s role in international decision-making in this interview with the SABC. https://bit.ly/41swTMb

Today the coordination of the Think7 (T7) was officially handed over from Italy to Canada at an event hosted by CIGI, which will be organizing the T7 process during Canada’s Presidency of the G7 in 2025. Distinguished speakers from the international think tank community, academic networks, government representatives and national G7 teams were in attendance for the virtual celebration and panel discussion: Paul Samson, Antonio Villafranca, Ettore Greco, Tommaso Murè, Martin Lajoie at G7 Canada Sherpa, Tetsushi Sonobe, Christian Kastrop, Luciana Mendes Santos Servo at Institute for Applied Economic Research (Ipea), Philippe Bourbeau, John Kirton, Tracey Forrest, Lisa Lambert, Anna-Katharina Hornidge, Hossein Rahnama, Syed Munir Khasru, Deepali Khanna, Alex Benkenstein, Patricia Fuller and Aaron Shull. Building on the impactful leadership of 2024 co-chairs IAI - Istituto Affari Internazionali and ISPI - Istituto per gli Studi di Politica Internazionale, CIGI is committed to advancing the T7’s mission in the coming months via innovative and timely guidance to the G7 ahead of the annual summit. More about T7: https://www.think7.org/