Baba-Tamana Gqubule: Baba has a Masters in Development Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London and a Bachelor of Economics Honours degree from Rhodes University. She has experience as a Policy Analyst at the Economic Development Department.
 
Xhanti Payi: Xhanti has worked as an analyst at Investec Wealth & Investment, an Economist at Stanlib Asset Managers and was a Country Risk Manager at Standard Bank (CIB). Payi studied at UCT and the University of London. Currently, Payi is the MD at Nascence Advisory & Research, a strategy consulting and research outfit.

Christopher Wood: Chris is a TIPS economist focusing on trade and industry policy. He previously worked as a researcher in economic diplomacy at the South African Institute of International Affairs.
 
Kelello Mashiane: Kelello is a researcher at TIPS. She holds a bachelor’s degree from UNISA, and worked as a research assistant at the Economic Development Department, where she worked on several data collection projects and provided research support to the Chief Economist.
 
Moleboheng Ntene: Moleboheng is a Senior Economist at the South African Reserve Bank in the Economic Research and Statistics Department (Balance of Payments division). She is primarily responsible for monitoring financial account flows and conducting other research related to the balance of payments. She has a Masters Degree in Economic Development and Policy Issues from the University of Johannesburg. 

Date: Wednesday 8 February 2017      

Time: 13h30 – 16h00

Venue: TIPS Boardroom, 234 Lange St, Nieuw Muckleneuk, Pretoria

RSVP by email: Daphney@tips.org.za to confirm attendance.

Presentation and Panel Discussion:

Background

The importance of exporting to the US for any developing country cannot be downplayed. Exports to the largest economy in the world along with various support measures has been of cruciall importance to countries such as Japan and South Korea during their industrialisation, more recently for China. The Africa Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA) recognises the potential benefits of the US market and is a mechanism to encourage African economies to export into that market. While AGOA is a unilateral agreement by the US it gives benefits to the recipient countries and also is a means to encourage investment by US firms into Africa. The potential to support industrial development is therefore significant and is part of the motivation to extend AGOA by 10 years. Outside of the oil exporters, South Africa is the largest exporter through AGOA. South Africa exports value added products including automotive components and vehicles through AGOA. The recently adopted AGOA, however, specifically required a review of South Africa, mainly as a result of the requirement for poultry and pork imports from the US into the country. The poultry issue has been resolved and a number of compromises reached. The threat of the provisions of the Act that could exclude South Africa still remain. The benefits of South Africa being part of AGOA are applicable to both South Africa and the US,; it is therefore desirable on the side of both countries to find the compromises that would enable that.

　
The TIPS paper to be presented also forms part of a research project undertaken for NEDLAC.

PRESENTERS:

Faizel Ismail: Dr Faizel Ismail is an Adjunct Professor at the UCT School of Economics and a TIPS Research Associate. He has previously been an advisor to the dti on International Trade and Special Envoy on the African Growth and Opportunity Act and served as the Ambassador Permanent Representative of South Africa to the WTO (2010-2014).

Malose Letsoalo: Malose is the Director of Americas Bilateral Trade Relations in the International Trade and Economic Development Division (ITED) of the Department of Trade and Industry (the dti).

Christopher Wood: Chris is a TIPS economist focusing on trade and industry policy. He previously worked as a researcher in economic diplomacy at the South African Institute of International Affairs.

Tinashe Kapuya: Tinashe is the head of international trade and investment intelligence at the Agricultural Business Chamber (Agbiz).　

Date:    Tuesday 24 January2017
Time:    13h30 – 16h00
Venue:  TIPS Boardroom, 234 Lange St, Nieuw Muckleneuk, Pretoria 
                                                                                                                                       

RSVP by email: natasha@tips.org.za to confirm attendance.

TIPS Development Dialogue on behalf of Partnership for Action on Green Economy 

DESIGNING POLICY FRAMEWORKS FOR A CLIMATE-COMPATIBLE INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT TRANSITION IN SOUTH AFRICA

The South African Government is progressively introducing the policy changes aimed at supporting the transition to a sustainable development pathway. These processes aim to manage a balancing act and a highly contested and fluid operating environment. This reinforces the need for robust and evidence-based planning and policymaking. Furthermore, the multi-layered and multi-faceted nature of the policymaking exercise, fraught with unknowns, uncertainties, incomplete information and external variables calls for an incremental, iterative and flexible approach. This session presents the state of play in South Africa, introducing a policy pyramid perspective, and proposes a practical way forward to design a climate-compatible industrial development pathway in South Africa.

PRESENTER: Gaylor Montmasson-Clair, TIPS

Gaylor Montmasson-Clair is a Senior Economist at TIPS, leading the institution’s work on Sustainable Growth. He holds a Master’s degree in International Affairs from the Institut d’Etudes Politiques (Sciences Po) of Grenoble, France as well as a Master’s degree in Energy and Environment Economics from the Grenoble Faculty of Economics, France.

DEVELOPING GREEN TRADE AND INDUSTRY IN SOUTH AFRICA

The transition to a green economy is seen as an important tool to respond to the multiple developmental challenges in South Africa. In this context, the nexus of green industry and trade, and the identification and assessment of sectors that offer particular opportunities for green industrial development and trade, are core to this transition. This session presents preliminary findings on the identification of challenges and opportunities for advancing green industries and related trade opportunities in South Africa. The presentation will be followed by a facilitated discussion to further identify and assess economic sectors that offer particular trade opportunities (import substitution and/or export potential) from the perspective of green industrial development.

PRESENTERS: Christopher Wood and Shakespear Mudombi, TIPS

Christopher Wood is an Economist at TIPS, focusing on trade and industry policy. He holds a Master’s degree in Development Studies from the University of the Witwatersrand.  

Shakespear Mudombi is an Economist at TIPS, focusing on sustainable growth issues. He holds a PhD in Environmental Management from the University of South Africa and a Master’s degree in Agricultural & Applied Economics from the University of Zimbabwe (with electives done at University of Pretoria).

BUILDING A VALUE CHAIN FOR THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY IN AFRICA

The Nigerian Market for automobiles is substantial and can readily sustain an automobile industry. In 2012, the country imported about $4 billion worth of automobiles of which about two thirds were pre-owned. Estimated annualdemand for vehicles is over half a million made up of 100,000 new and 400,000 used. As at 2012, the population of the middle class was 38 million and growing, assuring a sustained market for the automotive industry. Opportunities exist for South African automotive Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to participate in this market and achieve economies of scale. Alec Erwin will share findings from a recently completed research project. 

PRESENTER: Alec Erwin,  Ubu Holdings

Alec Erwin was previously Minister of Public Enterprises (2004-2008), Minister of Trade and Industry (1996 -2004) and Deputy Minister of Finance (1994-1996). He has also been President of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (1996-2000). Alec was previously General Secretary of the Federation of South African Trade Unions (1979-1983) and the Education Officer for the Congress of South African Trade Unions (1986-1988). He was a member of the African National Congress National Executive from 1994 to 2007. Alec has an Honours degree in Economics from the University of Natal where he was a lecturer in the Economics Department. He has an Honorary Doctorate from the University of KwaZulu-Natal and is currently an Honorary Professor at the University of the Western Cape. He previously sat on the Honorary International Investment Council of President Jonathan in Nigeria and on the Togo Presidential Investment Advisory Council and is presently on the Board of Togo Invest. 

PROMOTING LOCAL MANUFACTURING IN SOUTH AFRICA'S MOTORCYCLE INDUSTRY: THE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

The South African motorcycle industry is a small market in global terms and the registration figures of motorcycles in the country on an annual basis have been in progressive decline. There is currently no local manufacturing of motorcycles in South Africa and no policy in place to develop the industry. The industry is entirely reliant on imports and will require significant support to contribute to the country’s manufacturing value-addition. Is there scope to develop this industry and expand into the export market?

PRESENTER: Sithembiso Mtanga, TIPS

Sithembiso Mtanga is a senior researcher at Trade and Industrial Policy Strategies (TIPS).  He joined TIPS in 2007 and completed a Master’s Degree in Economic Policy in 2012.

Presenter: Professor Karl Ove Moene, Department of Economcs, University of Oslo

Professor Karl Ove Moene is a Professor at the Department of Economics, University of Oslo and the founder and leader of the Centre of Equality, Social Organisation and Performance (ESOP) at the University of Oslo. Professor Moene has published over 60 articles in top international journals, covering a wide range of topics including equality, wage compression, welfare, social democracy, the Scandinavian model, Scandinavian equality, and the European social model, among others.   
 
He is also the author of several books, including Trade Union Behaviour, Pay Bargaining and Economic Performance, Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1993 and Alternatives to Capitalism, co-edited with J Elster, Cambridge University Press, 1989.