As the 2025 G20 presidency, South Africa hosted the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Johannesburg on 20-21 February, which will convene foreign ministers of G20 members such as Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. This is an important event before the G20 Johannesburg Summit in November.  To remain relevant, the G20 must adopt bold reforms that prioritise the needs of marginalised regions, enforce its commitments, and move beyond its reputation as a “talk shop.”   The G20, consisting of the world’s leading…

As an emerging industry catering to diverse needs across commercial, industrial, civil, and military fields, the low-altitude economy has the potential to transform industries such as logistics, transportation, tourism, health care, agriculture, and infrastructure.  China’s low-altitude economy is experiencing rapid expansion. According to the 2024 China Low-Altitude Economy Development Report released by the China Centre for Information Industry Development, the size of China’s low-altitude economy exceeded 500 billion yuan ($68.6 billion) in 2023, with a growth rate of 33.8 percent.…

Beautiful China is not just a trendy term or catchy slogan designed to highlight China’s charm; it is a key goal in China’s development strategy. In 2015, the Fifth Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China introduced the concept of innovative, coordinated, green, open, and shared development to build a beautiful China. The five aspects were elaborated in the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020). Beautiful China is a concept guided by green development, centred on…

This article was provided by Duane Dizon, expert on Strategic and Crisis Communications of International Digital Economies Association (iDEA). Membership in BRICS provides Indonesia with more diversified sources of loans, including access to the New Development Bank (NDB), which offers funding to accelerate infrastructure and energy projects that support its ambitious growth targets. BRICS membership also helps Indonesia expand trade, creating opportunities to boost exports and attract foreign direct investment (FDI). Additionally, Indonesia’s high Incremental Capital Output Ratio (ICOR) could…

In a bold display of independence that is rattling traditional diplomatic circles, South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has signaled a clear break with the United States, a move that has not only shocked Washington but also redefined the nation’s foreign policy.  This weekend, Washington expelled Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool, giving him just 72 hours to leave the country, according to BBC reports. While Washington’s abrupt action might have been intended to assert American influence, it instead exposed the widening gulf between…

As we celebrate World Social Work Day (18 March 2025), this year’s theme, Strengthening Intergenerational Solidarity for Enduring Wellbeing, highlights the vital role of social workers in fostering resilience and sustaining social support systems. However, in South Africa, social workers face increasing challenges that jeopardize both their effectiveness and the long-term wellbeing of the communities they serve. A profession under pressure The global demand for social work continues to rise, but socio-economic and political challenges hinder its effective delivery. War,…

The recent deregistration of Athletics South Africa (ASA) by the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) has unveiled a disturbing narrative of administrative incompetence and negligence. This development tarnishes South African athletics’ reputation and jeopardises the careers of countless athletes who depend on these institutions for guidance and support. ASA’s deregistration, as reported by Sunday World, stems from its failure to comply with statutory obligations, including the timely submission of annual returns . This blatant disregard for compliance has stripped…

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) head Shamila Batohi has announced that additional state capture cases will be enrolled in 2025. She acknowledged the prevailing perception that the NPA’s success is judged solely by the imprisonment of a politician for state capture, stating, “A great deal of effort is being put into this matter, and I am highly confident that this year will bring significant progress with further case enrolments.” South Africa’s legal landscape is riddled with contradictions, where, in the words…

As the world crosses the midpoint of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) timeline, Africa stands at a pivotal moment. With just five years left to hit the ambitious targets of Agenda 2030, the continent faces a stark reality: progress is real but uneven, and the clock is ticking. Are Africa’s 54 nations on track to end poverty, reduce inequality, and foster sustainable growth by 2030, or are they slipping behind? The answer, it seems, is both, depending on…

South Africa is at a crossroads in its energy transition. As the country seeks cleaner alternatives to coal, bioenergy has emerged as a promising solution. But there’s a catch—bioenergy production, particularly from crops and biomass, has a significant water footprint. Can South Africa afford to invest in a water-intensive energy future in a nation where water scarcity is already a pressing issue? The concept of a water footprint measures the total freshwater used in producing goods and services, including bioenergy.…