Trade & Industrial Policy Strategies (TIPS) invites you to a hybrid Development Dialogue on South Africa in the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA): Impact and Renewal

Wednesday 26 June at 09:30 – 11:00 AM (SAST)

TIPS Dialogues bring together academics, policymakers, civil society organisations, workers, and practitioners to discuss important issues and share ideas on industrial policy.

PRESENTATIONS

• Saul Levin (TIPS) – Presenting South Africa In AGOA: Impact, Potential and the Case for Renewal Paper by TIPS and COSATU
• Faizel Ismail (Director of the Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance) – The Politics of Trade and South Africa

MEDIA

South Africa continues to push for long extension to Agoa well ahead of 2025 expiry - Polity 26 June 2024

Pictures

RESEARCH REPORT

SOUTH AFRICA IN AGOA: IMPACT, POTENTIAL AND THE CASE FOR RENEWAL

BACKGROUND

This Development Dialogue will unpack South Africa and the United States’s African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). Since being signed into law in 2000 and subsequently renewed, the Act has offered preferential access to the US market for most African countries, including South Africa.

In 2022, preferential access under AGOA has according to a TIPS and Cosatu report helped South African exporters avoid US$116 million in tariffs. While these savings are relatively small compared to South Africa’s US$14,5 billion in total exports to the US, they nevertheless play an important role for key sectors such as automotives, petrochemicals, citrus, wine, and a range of others – with 59% of manufacturing exports and 75% of agricultural exports entering the US market on a preferential basis, AGOA gives South African exports a competitive edge.

Yet despite some positive impact of AGOA, the trade measure has often failed to live up to a core objective of driving the development in a diverse range of value-added exports from Sub-Saharan Africa, and supporting the creation of quality jobs in the region. While the market access offered by AGOA is beneficial, it remains difficult for many African countries to benefit from preferences that require strong existing productive capacity. These underlying challenges have been aggravated by continued uncertainty on the renewal of AGOA. .

With AGOA’s 2025 expiry and possible renewal close on the horizon, South Africa’s continuation in the programme has been questioned.

TIPS Dialogues bring together academics, policymakers, civil society organisations, workers, and practitioners to discuss important issues and share ideas on industrial policy. TIPS is partnering with the Department of Trade Industry and Competition (the dtic).

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

Moderator

Nokwanda Maseko is a senior economist at TIPS. Her work is at the intersection of industrial policy, gender and the just transition. She previously worked as a Budget Analyst at the National Treasury, and as an Assistant Director for Industrial Policy at the Economic Development Department. 

Presenters

Saul Levin is the Executive Director of TIPS since 2014. He has a PhD in Development Studies from the University of Johannesburg, with his thesis on industrial financing. Saul has held senior posts in several government departments.

Faizel Ismail is the Director of the Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance where he teaches courses on global governance, trade law and trade policy. He has a PhD in Politics from the University of Manchester. He previously served as the chairperson of the International Trade Administration Commission (ITAC). He has served as the Ambassador Permanent Representative of South Africa to the World Trade Organization (WTO) (2010-2014).

Tanya van Meelis is the Head of the Policy Unit and the Labour Market Policy Coordinator at the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU). Tanya is an accomplished businesswoman and has served in various roles such as Chief Economist at the Economic Development Department and Acting Deputy Director General at the Transformation and Competition unit at the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic)

Malose Anthony Letsoalo currently serves as Chief Director: Bilateral Trade Relation – Rest of the World in the Trade Branch of the dtic. In this position, Malose is responsible for bilateral trade relations between South Africa and all foreign countries outside the African Continent, that is with Americans, Asia, Europe, and Middle East. Prior to this position, Malose served as Minister: Economic at the Embassy of South Africa in Washington DC.

Trade & Industrial Policy Strategies (TIPS) hybrid Development Dialogue on
Developing the Renewable Energy Industrial Value Chain
Thursday 30 May at 13:00 – 15:00 PM (SAST).

TIPS Dialogues bring together academics, policymakers, civil society organisations, workers, and practitioners
to discuss important issues and share ideas on industrial policy.

PRESENTATIONS

Saul Levin (TIPS) - Greenining Industrial Policy 

Gaylor Montmasson-Clair - What would it take to localise the renewable energy value chain in South Africa?

Gerald Nienaber - Case study: Modetech Services

Fazel Ernest - Insights from Labour

MEDIA

Supply-side support will be required if South Africa aims to join green industrialisation race - Engineering News 30 May 2024

POLICY BRIEF

Bridging the gap between aspiration and reality: What would it take to localise the renewable energy value chain in South Africa

AGENDA

Dr Saul Levin (TIPS) – Presenting on Greening Industrial Policy
Gaylor Montmasson-Clair (TIPS) – What would it take to localise the renewable energy value chain in South Africa?
Gerald Nienaber (Modetech) – Case Study Modetech Services
Fazel Ernest (CEPPWAWU - Cosatu) – Insights from Labour

Background
This Development Dialogue will unpack the opportunities for South Africa in the development of renewable energy and battery storage value chains, in line with the framework of the South African Renewable Energy Masterplan (SAREM) and the country’s broader transition to green industrial policy.  The fast-rising roll-out of renewable energy and storage technologies, both domestically and globally, presents an opportunity for South Africa to foster economic development, employment creation and social transformation.

The development of industrial value chains, leveraging South Africa’s existing manufacturing and service provision capabilities, is one such opportunity. Looking ahead, understanding the landscape of opportunities in the value chain and the necessary interventions required to realise the potential will be the focus of the dialogue.

TIPS Dialogues bring together academics, policymakers, civil society organisations, workers, and practitioners to discuss important issues and share ideas on industrial policy.
TIPS is partnering with the Department of Trade Industry and Competition (the dtic).
 

About the Speakers

Moderator

Muhammed Patel is a Senior Economist at TIPS. He works on TIPS's work on sustainability and just transition. Muhammed’s background spans work in industrial development, and competition and regulatory economics as well as the telecommunications and energy sectors.

Presenters

Saul Levin is Executive Director of TIPS since 2014.  He has a PhD in Development Studies from the University of Johannesburg, with his thesis on industrial financing. Saul was previously a chief director in the Economic Development Department (EDD) with oversight of the Development Finance Institutions reporting to EDD. He also held several senior posts in the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, Department of Minerals and Energy, and Department of Trade and Industry.

Gaylor Montmasson-Clair is a Senior Economist at Trade & Industrial Policy Strategies (TIPS). He leads TIPS's work on sustainability and just transition, and is the Facilitator for the South African Renewable Energy Masterplan (SAREM), the industrialisation plan for South Africa’s renewable energy value chain. He has been working on inclusive development and green economy issues for more than fifteen years and has carried extensive research on the transition to an inclusive green economy from a Global South perspective, with a focus on policy frameworks, industrial development, just transition and resource security.
 
Fazel Ernest is a South African trade-unionist at CEPPWAWU - Cosatu who organises, facilitates, evaluates, and reports on capacity building for members in his leadership role at the union. He supports operational and strategic leadership structures and represent the union in legislative and stakeholder structures. He is deeply rooted in social solidarity with the poor, destitute and vulnerable with a background in political and community activism. He has served on numerous SETA Boards/EXCOs and is the former CHIETA Chief Operations Officer.

Gerald Nienaber is a partner of Modetech Services which is a small but growing high-tech engineering and manufacturing business which is poised to move from servicing traditional markets, such as mining, to new emerging markets, such as the renewable energy sector. He has extensive experience in several key industries in South Africa, leading the development of EOM parts and dedicated to providing OEM parts solutions for the world's most critical markets.

TIPS is partnering with the Department of Trade Industry and Competition (the dtic).

FOR ENQUIRIES - Rozale@tips.org.za

PRESENTATIONS

Nishal Robb (TIPS) – SA economic trends pre- and post-COVID-19: Implications for industrial policy

Itumeleng Mokoena (DNA Economics) – Trends in the global economy since 2008 and Implications for South Africa's industrial policy

Nokwanda Maseko (TIPS) – Post-covid industrial policy in the context of the climate crisis

Neva Makgetla (TIPS) – The political economy of industrial policy in SA

AGENDA

Opening Remarks and Moderator: Saul Levin (TIPS)

Presentations and discussion

• Nishal Robb (TIPS) – Insights from Paper: SA economic trends pre-and post-COVID-19: Implications for industrial policy
• Itumeleng Mokoena (DNA Economics) - Insights from TIPS Paper: Trends in the global political economy and trade
• Nokwanda Maseko (TIPS) – Insights from Paper: The climate crisis
• Neva Makgetla (TIPS) – Overview and presenting Insights: The political economic context for industrial policy
• Tanya van Meelis (COSATU) - Discussant

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 initiated a series of crises, ranging from supply-chain disruptions to geo-political tensions that substantially affected global markets. In South Africa, these developments aggravated joblessness and inequality, contributed to stress on network infrastructure, complicated the response to the climate crisis, and slowed overall growth. The improvement in prices for mining exports in the early 2020s provided only temporary relief.

These issues have reshaped the landscape for industrial policy in South Africa, opening up new opportunities as well as raising threats and obstacles. The development dialogue aims to promote discussion about how industrial policy has to evolve to address these new realities. To support the debate, TIPS researchers will present research undertaken over the past year that aimed to define the challenges more clearly, with in-depth dives into trends since 2020 in economic growth and employment; the climate crisis and policy responses to it; global trade and power relationships; and the local political economic context.

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

Moderator

Saul Levin is the Executive Director of TIPS. He previously worked as a Chief Director in the Economic Development Department (EDD) with oversight over the Development Finance Institutions reporting to EDD.

Presenters

Dr Neva Makgetla is a senior economist at TIPS. Makgetla has published widely on the South African economy and worked for many years in government.

Nokwanda Maseko is a senior economist at TIPS. Her work is at the intersection of industrial policy, gender and the just transition. She previously worked as a Budget Analyst at the National Treasury, and as an Assistant Director for Industrial Policy at the Economic Development Department.

Nishal Robb is an economist at TIPS. Nishal has worked on a range of topics, including the history of South Africa’s labour-intensive clothing industry; the impact of poor school safety on education; the financialisation of South African firms and implications for structural transformation; and illicit financial flows, tax havens and industrial development in South Africa.

Itumeleng Mokoena is an economist at DNA Economics. He has worked on several projects across different sectors including financial services, government and manufacturing.

TIPS Dialogues bring together academics, policymakers, civil society organisations, workers, and practitioners
to discuss important issues and share ideas on industrial policy.

TIPS is partnering with the Department of Trade Industry and Competition (the dtic). 

Presentations

Muhammed Patel (TIPS): Green H2: a potential export commodity in a new global marketplace

Jason Bell (CREDD): Insights from green hydrogen for sustainable (re)industrialisation in South Africa paper

Sören Scholvin (UCN): Green hydrogen and linkage-based development in Chile

Bruce Young (Wits Energy Centre): TIPS Development Dialogue Green hydrogen and industrial policy slides

Background

This Development Dialogue seeks to unpack whether green hydrogen is really the technology of the future and its commercial viability. As well as to understand global demand and some of the miss information in the industries for carbon neutralisation.

Globally, countries are mobilising resources to deal with the climate crisis. Climate change stands to impact countries collectively, with the impacts most severely felt by the vulnerable in society. Countries, including South Africa, have to think carefully about improving their resilience to the direct physical impacts of climate change and the effects of the transition. Part of the response involves transforming notorious, high-emitting industries, such as energy and petrochemicals, towards cleaner production.

Given South Africa’s high dependency on coal, and the combustion of coal being associated with high CO2 emissions, South Africa will have to transform key value chains towards more sustainable production. This transformation not only protects the country’s resources from future climate events but also secures South Africa’s future in the global marketplace. The hydrogen economy offers one potential and complementary pathway to a sustainable future. South Africa’s rich endowment of ideal weather conditions for solar and wind power generation, technological capabilities around the Fischer-Tropsch (FT) process, and access to platinum resources, place the country at an advantage for developing the hydrogen value chain and being a key supplier into the global hydrogen market.

While green hydrogen development has gone through a number of historical waves of interest, the current momentum is being driven globally, with a number of countries developing hydrogen roadmaps and strategies to capitalise domestically and in the global marketplace.

This provides South Africa with a window of opportunity to investigate and develop a domestic hydrogen economy, attract investment into developing a new capability, and benefit from this heightened interest in the creation of a new export product. Developing this sector has many potential benefits for the country.

TIPS is partnering with the Department of Trade Industry and Competition (the dtic).

About the Speakers

Presenters

Muhammed Patel is Senior Economist at TIPS. Muhammed’s background spans work in industrial development, and competition and regulatory economics as well as telecommunications and the energy sectors.

Jason Bell is an Economist and Researcher at the Centre for Competition Regulation and Economic Development. He is interested in political economy and industrial development issues, focusing on the role of regulation, governments and institutions in fostering growth and the evolution and distribution of power. his sectoral focus covers metals, machinery and equipment, development finance institutions, automotives, climate change and green hydrogen in South Africa.

Bruce Young is Senior Lecturer, Africa Energy Leadership Centre, Business School, University of the Witwatersrand. He is a Chemical Engineer with broadly based business development and technical experience related to the global petrochemical industry with specific expertise in petrochemicals. Expertise in chemical opportunities associated with Fischer Tropsch technology and synthesis gas processing. Specific expertise in formulating business unit technology strategy to support the business strategy. Significant commercial experience relating to technology and licensing agreements. Experienced in mergers and acquisitions in the chemicals business area.

Sören Scholvin is a professor at the Department of Economics, Catholic University of the North, in Antofagasta, Chile. He is affiliated with the Policy Research in International Services and Manufacturing (PRISM) unit at the University of Cape Town. Sören's research interests are extractive industries, global value chains and regional development.

TIPS Dialogues bring together academics, policymakers, civil society organisations, workers, and practitioners
to discuss important issues and share ideas on industrial policy.

TIPS is partnering with the Department of Trade Industry and Competition (the dtic).

• Gaylor Montmasson-Clair (TIPS) - Overview on the Electric Vehicles White Paper- Insights from Industry
• Renai Moothilal (NAACAM) - Insights from Industry
• Alex Mashilo (Southern Centre for Inequality Studies, Wits) - Insights from Labour
• Lesego Moshikaro-Amani (TIPS) - Presenting on the Skills Paper 
• Chintan Daftardar and Avinash Dubedi (WRI) - India Case Study 

TIPS Development Dialogues 2023
Medical Devices Value Chain
 
Monday 23 October 2023 at 11:00 AM – 13:00 PM.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

11:00 Opening and welcome by Moderator: Dr Michelle Mulder (SAMRC)

11:10 – 12:20 Presentations and discussion:

• Dr Julius Mugwagwa (STEaPP) (University College London) – Presenting the IEJ Research Paper on Localising Medical Manufacturing in Africa
• Liako Mofo (TIPS) – Presenting on the South African Medical Devices Masterplan – Value Chain Analysis Study
• Victor van Vuuren (HolaVic) – Discussant: Insights from Manufacturers and Industry

12:20 – 12:50 Discussion

12:50 – 13:00 Closure
 
Presentations

Victor van Vuuren (HolaVic) - Medical devices

Dr Julius Mubwagwu (STEaPP) (University College of London) - Localisation of medical manufacturing in Africa

Media

Regulation and certification remain key for medical devices manufacturing in Africa - Schalk Burger, Engineering News 24 August 2023

Research

Localisation of medical manufacturing in Africa - Institute for Economic Justice November 2022

Background

South Africa is a large procurer of medical devices and pharmaceutical projects, with a well- established health care system and network. The COVID-19 pandemic as well as supply-chain disruptions highlighted the need to have domestic capacity in producing medical products. Further, building on the established demand for this sector, localisation of medical products would strengthen industrial capacity, create employment and reduce trade deficits.

This Development Dialogue will engage on the latest evidence for the development of domestic and Africa-wide capacity in the production of medical devices and products.

The Development Dialogue draws on recent TIPS research on the medical devices value chain in South Africa, IEJ research on localising medical manufacturing in Africa, and insights from the current process to develop a South African medical devices masterplan.  

About the Speakers

Moderator

Dr Michelle Mulder is Executive Director in Grants, Innovation and Product Development at the South African Medical Research Council. She has a doctorate in Medical Microbiology from the University of Cape Town and has post-doctoral experience in a start-up biotechnology company emanating from the University of Cambridge (UK). She has consulted extensively in technology innovation and has been involved for the last 18 years in the strategic management and commercialisation of the SAMRC’s intellectual property and in capacity building in these areas in Southern and East Africa. She currently serves as a board member of two SAMRC-linked companies and is a member of the NHLS Research and Innovation Committee.

Presenters

Liako Mofo is a senior economist at TIPS.  She holds a master’s degree in development economics from the University of Sussex, United Kingdom and has more than 16 years of experience in economic research, policy development and analysis, development of national strategic development plans, sector-specific investment plans and project cycle management in the public sector, and development in the regional and international context.
 
Dr Julius Mugwagwa is an Associate Professor of Health Innovation and Public Policy UCL STEaPP – Science Technology Engineering and Public Policy, University College London (UCL). His specialties and interests are local and global health; innovation systems; funding and governance of science, technology and innovation; health system strengthening; pharmaceutical and biotech sectors; cross-national technology governance; policy analysis; and project management.
 
Victor van Vuuren is Director: HolaVic Consulting (Pty) Ltd consulting globally. After completing a law degree Victor started his working career at the South African Department of Justice. Thereafter he moved into the private sector as a corporate legal advisor and human resources director at executive level in large corporates. Victor later helped establish a unified South African business federation, Business Unity South Africa, and was appointed as the first Chief Operations Officer.

For more information, please contact TIPS via email at: daphney@tips.org.za

 TIPS Dialogues bring together academics, policymakers, civil society organisations, workers,
and practitioners to discuss important issues and share ideas on industrial policy.

TIPS is partnering with the Department of Trade Industry and Competition (the dtic)
and the Institute of Economic Justice (IEJ) which will co-host the seminar.