Latest news with #SADC
Eyewitness News
6 hours ago
- Automotive
- Eyewitness News
Minister Tau says SA diversifying and looking elsewhere to mitigate US trade tariffs
CAPE TOWN – Trade, Industry and Competition Minister, Parks Tau, says South Africa is diversifying and looking elsewhere to mitigate the impact of the United States (US) trade tariffs. He said the tariffs imposed by the Donald Trump administration have already impacted the auto industry, with a 25% tariff on automobiles and parts coming into effect in April and May, respectively. In written Parliamentary replies to questions from Members of Parliament (MPs), Tau said the diversification would focus on countries that South Africa has trade agreements with, including some in South America. Tau said, while the US remains an important trading partner for South Africa, it accounted for just 7% of South African trade in 2024. He said around 40% of South Africa's trade is with Asian countries, 25% with European countries and 20% with other African nations. Tau said in February this year, the us 'imposed section 232 tariffs of 25% on steel and aluminium on the basis that imports of these products threaten US national security'. He said government is now determined to strengthen partnerships in Africa to address business challenges and create a favourable environment for conducting business. According to Tau, the diversification focuses on countries that South Africa has trade agreements in place, including the Southern African Development Community (SADC), African Continental Free Trade Area and the European Economic Partnership Agreement. The country also has a preferential trade agreement with the South American trade bloc comprising Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay.
Zawya
a day ago
- Business
- Zawya
Building capacity for sustainable value chains in Southern Africa: STOSAR II project equips regional experts
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), through its Subregional Office for Southern Africa (SFS), convened a regional training workshop on innovative value chain development methodologies from 7 to 9 July in Pretoria, South Africa. The workshop was organized under the European Union (EU)-funded STOSAR II Project, in partnership with the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Secretariat and other regional stakeholders. The two-and-a-half-day workshop brought together 55 national experts and officials from 16 SADC Member States, alongside representatives from FANRPAN, AUDA-NEPAD, SACAU, and other partners committed to advancing agricultural transformation across the region. In his opening remarks, Dr Lewis Hove, FAO Resilience Team Leader for Southern Africa, who, speaking on behalf of Dr Patrice Talla, the FAO Subregional Coordinator for Southern Africa, underscored the workshop's significance as a key milestone for STOSAR II: Dr Hove said, 'Today's workshop marks a significant milestone for STOSAR II. It is one of the first major regional activities under the second phase of the project, and it brings to life a key new focus on Value Chains. This component reflects our collective ambition to turn data and strategies into real improvements along agricultural value chains, leaving no one behind.' The workshop focused on equipping national experts and officials with the knowledge and tools to develop inclusive, evidence-based, and digitally enabled value chains. Participants explored how instrument-based approaches to investment planning can inform and strengthen National Agricultural Investment Plans (NAIPs) and Sector Development Plan Agreements (SDPAs), ensuring that investments directly support country priorities and the regional agricultural policy framework. The sessions also highlighted inclusive aggregation systems and the growing role of information and communication technologies (ICT) and artificial intelligence (AI) in value chain development, which are innovations that can help improve market access, agricultural productivity, and sustainable economic opportunities for farmers and agribusinesses. Strengthening networks and sharing solutions The workshop further provided a platform to reinforce the SADC's Community of Practice on Agribusiness, Investment, and Trade, promoting peer learning, dialogue and regional collaboration. The African Union Development Agency (AU-NEPAD) Head of Agriculture, Dr Manyewu Mutamba, said: ' This intervention on value chains is both timely and strategic, as it directly supports the implementation of the CAADP Kampala Declaration on Building Resilient and Sustainable Agrifood Systems by focusing on agro-industrialization, trade, and increased investment in agrifood systems. This training initiative will contribute meaningfully to our shared goal of strengthening sustainable food systems across the continent.' Throughout the highly interactive sessions, participants shared national experiences, lessons learned and innovations shaping agrifood policy and practice in Southern Africa. Hands-on demonstrations showcased cutting-edge tools such as FAO's Ex-Ante Carbon-balance Tool (EX-ACT), the only greenhouse gas accounting tool covering the entire agricultural sector and the RuralInvest toolkit, designed to support the preparation of bankable, sustainable business proposals. Participants also engaged with the latest ICT-enabled innovations from the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), including remote sensing and earth observation technologies capable of high-accuracy soil analysis and yield prediction. A collective path forward As Southern Africa navigates a complex landscape of challenges and opportunities, the workshop reaffirmed the transformative potential of inclusive and innovative value chains. With support from the European Union, FAO and its partners are working hand-in-hand with national experts to help them lead this transformation and shaping agri-food systems that are more productive, resilient and inclusive. Continued collaboration will be key to transforming value chains into engines of resilience, growth and investment of a food-secure Southern Africa that leaves no one behind. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO): Regional Office for Africa.
Ya Biladi
3 days ago
- Politics
- Ya Biladi
Africa : Polisario allies in SADC press agenda on other members
On July 24 and 25, Tanzania became the focal point for a significant meeting of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) foreign ministers. At the close of this summit, the ministers expressed clear support for the Polisario. They «welcomed the recent signing of a memorandum of understanding between the SADC and SADR, recognizing its alignment with the UN-led process for the self-determination of Western Sahara», as stated in a press release. To revisit earlier developments, on April 2, SADC Secretary-General Elias M. Magosi and the Polisario's representative in Botswana, Bah El Mad Abdellah, inked a memorandum of understanding. This agreement aims to «implement the decisions adopted by the SADC heads of state and government in August 2019, as well as the Declaration on the SADC Solidarity Conference with the SADR held in March 2019 in Pretoria, South Africa». Nonetheless, this agreement faced immediate condemnation from Malawi, the Union of the Comoros, Zambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Eswatini. These countries, members of the regional bloc, are actively seeking to distance themselves from South African influence. On the issue of the Sahara, they all acknowledge Moroccan sovereignty and have established consulates in Laayoune or Dakhla.
IOL News
5 days ago
- Politics
- IOL News
Public service in Southern Africa: A New era of collaboration and accountability
South Africa Minister of Foreign Affairs Ronald Lamola (C) is seen during the joint meeting of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the East African Community Ministers on the Democratic Republic of Congo conflict held in Harare, on March 17 2025. In Windhoek, delegates from ten Southern African Development Community (SADC) member states gathered for the SADC Public Service Commissions (PSCs) Forum, marking a pivotal moment for statecraft in the region. This forum, with participation from nations such as South Africa, Angola, Zimbabwe, and Mauritius, underscores a pressing dedication to redefine the core of public administration across Southern Africa. The consensus is clear: the existing bureaucratic framework, characterised by inefficiency, patronage, and stagnation, must evolve into a contemporary, ethical, and development-oriented public service.A New Vision for Public ServantsProfessor Somadoda Fikeni, Chairperson of South Africa's Public Service Commission, has articulated a bold and much-needed vision for a "new type of public servant." This reimagining calls for public servants to be more than mere functionaries; they must be active drivers of social transformation, characterised by their ethical conduct, technical proficiency, social consciousness, and development-oriented approach. This visionary perspective is long overdue. Challenges Undermining Governance Uneven public service delivery persists across the SADC region, marked by corruption, politicisation, a lack of accountability, and insufficient investment in human capital. Transparency International's 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index reveals that seven of the ten forum-participating countries score below 50 out of 100, signifying severe systemic governance challenges. For instance, public trust in Zimbabwe's government services remains critically low due to widespread mismanagement, particularly in vital sectors like health and education. Conversely, Mauritius, with a score of 53, exemplifies how ethical governance and a commitment to public service excellence can foster stability and sustainable advocacy for a revitalised public service is not mere theoretical discourse; it directly addresses systemic issues that have historically impeded progress. The Southern African region experiences some of the world's most severe rates of unemployment and inequality. South Africa, the continent's leading industrialised nation, for instance, reported a striking youth unemployment rate of 46,1% in Q1 2025, according to Stats SA. In such a climate, an efficient public service is not merely advantageous but is fundamental to economic revitalisation, equitable development, and maintaining democratic integrity. The Case for Regional Cooperation The upcoming forum in Windhoek offers a crucial opportunity to transcend the historical siloing of SADC states in civil service reform, fostering greater cross-border collaboration and policy harmonisation. Regional cooperation is pivotal for accelerating policy learning and consolidating limited institutional capacity. For example, Botswana's significant progress in digitising public services, notably its Integrated Public Service Portal, led to a 30% reduction in administrative delays in 2023. This success provides a scalable framework for nations such as Malawi and Lesotho, where digital integration in governance is still in its nascent strategies are essential for addressing cross-border challenges like migration, climate change, and transnational corruption. For example, Zambia and Zimbabwe frequently encounter coordination issues in the management of shared water resources and infrastructure projects within the Zambezi basin. Such inefficiencies could be resolved through a regional public service framework that prioritizes joint training, shared data platforms, and interoperable regulations. Building Capacity for the Future Fikeni's focus on a 'moral compass' is particularly relevant in a region plagued by widespread ethical failures within its civil service. However, ethics alone will not suffice. Tomorrow's public servant must also possess technical expertise and strategic foresight. As AI, climate resilience, and digital transformation reshape governance, traditional bureaucratic models are becoming achieve the African Union's Agenda 2063 and realise the vision of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), a digitally literate, policy-agile, and globally competitive public workforce is essential. The current skills gap is a critical concern: as of 2024, only 19% of public servants in SADC countries have received formal training in data analysis or e-governance, according to the African Capacity Building Foundation. Addressing this deficit is not merely an option; it is fundamental to Africa's prevent the Windhoek forum from being merely a ceremonial summit, its outcomes must incorporate concrete mechanisms. Firstly, a regional public service observatory should be created to monitor reforms, assess service delivery benchmarks, and release annual progress reports. Secondly, a common code of ethics, consistent with the African Charter on the Values and Principles of Public Service and Administration, ought to be implemented across SADC states. Thirdly, it is crucial to invest in regional public administration schools, emphasising ethical leadership, data governance, and policy Africa, with its rich resources and experience in complex governance reforms, can play a pivotal role. However, distributed leadership is key, with smaller states such as Mauritius and Botswana contributing their best practices and institutional models. The SADC PSCs forum arrives at a critical moment. Southern Africa faces increasing socio-economic challenges, making a capable, ethical, and forward-thinking public service an urgent and essential requirement. It is time for the region to prioritise investment in its governance personnel, rather than solely focusing on policy implementation. This is the only path to achieving a genuinely developmental state that serves its citizens instead of ruling over them. The discussions in Windhoek should not conclude the dialogue, but rather initiate a broader movement.
IOL News
5 days ago
- Politics
- IOL News
Leaders should save Africa to preserve Kwame Krumah's legacy
Sandile Gumede Image: File 'Do you like Kwame Krumah?' This is a question that was asked by George Apple-by-Smith to Makhaya Maseko in Bessie Head's book called 'When Rain Clouds Gather'. In this fictional situation, the policer in question was asking Maseko this question so that he could decide whether to grant him a political asylum after escaping from South Africa to Botswana, at the height of political chaos, with apartheid forces pouncing on those who fought injustices. Maseko, who understood the tricky question as an activist and a journalist, simply answered: 'No'. However, this is no book review, but it is meant to emphasise the role that the likes of Kwame Krumah played in the liberation of the African continent. Krumah and others like Julius Nyerere, Idi Amin and Patrice Lumumba to mention a few, played a crucial role in mobilisation of African leaders in efforts to unite the continent for its prosperity. In pushing the Pan Africanism agenda an Organisation of African Unity was conceived, which expedited the project of winning back Africa from the colonial masters – at least this is what they thought. I am not oblivious of the fact that these leaders were fallible – of which it is a nature of a human being. But they did a lot of groundwork, and had great vision which could have helped the continent from being too dependent on handouts from Asia and the west. The continent currently needs courageous leadership, who will be brother's keepers, not people who keep quiet, yet human rights are violated, or corruption happens unabated. African countries are rich in mineral resources, but these hardly benefit the majority of citizens except providing labour for European or Chinese companies. Instead, there are coups in our continent. We fight each other; not because we are trying to rescue the lives and livelihood of the people simply because the next leader feels that it is his time to benefit. There are leaders like Paul Biya who has been in power since 1982, but not much is being done to change the lives of Cameroonians. This results in compatriots emigrating to the very same France that had oppressed them. In Zimbabwe we have a similar challenge; the lives of ordinary Zimbabweans mean nothing. They end up emigrating to Britain and neighbouring countries. One of the biggest challenges is that every now and then these African leaders would meet in AU summits or SADC meetings cheering each other; dining expensive cuisine forgetting to address the core issues faced by their people. The reality is that Zimbabwean issues become our issues as people flee the country for various reasons. Even the situation for South Africa is getting worse; with infrastructure dilapidating and scarce job opportunities there is growth in South Africans emigrating to Asia and Gulf states to teach English and other subjects. Whatever that Yoweri Museveni does in Uganda, it affects neighbouring countries like Tanzania and Kenya in that East region. Issues in DR Congo, also affect Rwandans and other neighbouring countries; therefore, the entire continent is interdependent. And this requires bold leadership from all walks of life whereby they can be honest with each other. That is what the AU summit should be about – not just talk shop and to be a boys' club with no clear vision for the continent. If we are reclaiming mines owned by foreigners in our countries, that should be the African agenda not just General Ibrahim Traore or Dr. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah's pet projects as this will result in their countries being alienated by the west, whereas if this is done in unison it will be difficult to sanction the entire continent. This cannot be achieved by leaders who are there for themselves instead of the people. This cannot be done by leaders who are afraid of calling their counterparts into order. They should use the AU and other regional economic bodies to develop Africa, not buying properties in foreign countries or travelling abroad for shopping sprees or medical attention. This should be done by all those who claim to hold leaders like Kwame Krumah in high regard, not those who pay lip service. Sandile Gumede is sociopolitical writer and PhD candidate at the University of Witwatersrand in the Media Studies Department. SUNDAY TRIBUNE
