The food processing subsector comprises of the production of final food products based mainly, although not exclusively, on agricultural inputs. The line between agriculture and food processing is not always clear, however, the formal definition of food processing excludes food processing that takes place in the farm. The industry is…

Electronics and appliances refer principally to consumer equipment products. Electronics is also a core component for capital equipment as well as business services and communications. The industry covers precision instruments, including information and communications technology (ICT). It also includes parts of electric machinery, mostly some inputs to electronics, and machinery,…

Clothing, textiles, footwear and leather (CTFL) is the value chain from synthetic and natural inputs to final clothing and shoes. The leather and textiles production systems are largely distinct, but both clothing and shoes now mostly use synthetic inputs from the chemicals industry. Relatively few shoes today are made mostly from leather. Download…

Capital equipment comprises machinery and equipment used in production. While it does not equate to a standard statistical category, it mainly falls under machinery and electrical equipment. Machinery refers to the production of machine tools, engines, pumps, handling equipment, armaments and similar complex equipment; electrical machinery covers electric motors, transformers,…

The beverages subsector encompasses both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, except for fruit juices, which are classified as fruit and vegetable processing. The beverages value chain far extends the production of beverages and incorporates upstream sectors within the agricultural sector which provides inputs. Download a copy or read online Other subsector notes: Basic…

The basic chemicals and petroleum refineries industry comprises polymers, bulk petrochemicals and intermediates, other basic industrial and inorganic chemicals, and fertilisers. It forms part of the broader chemicals industry, which also encompasses household chemicals, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and products of plastic and rubber, most of which are downstream from basic chemicals…

Many in the Global South and some in the Global North cannot afford clean and sustainable energy, and many live in a state of energy poverty. A just energy transition is a chance for economies to start again with a clean slate and do things differently. In the Global South, where…

The first quarter of 2021 saw South Africa’s merchandise exports increase by 20.2% from the same period last year, amounting to R406 billion, although it experienced a slight decline of 2.6% from the previous quarter (Q4 2020). Though South Africa’s exports have been on an increasing trend, recovering from the…

Structural Dynamics and Industrial Policies  Prof José Antonio Ocampo  Watch lecture on YouTube  {youtube}|500|281{/youtube}  Presentation: Structural dynamics and industrial policy José Antonio Ocampo is a Professor at the School of International and Public Affairs, Co-President of the Initiative for Policy Dialogue (IPD) and Member of the Committee on Global Thought at…

Lecture title: Structural Dynamics and Industrial Policies. Speaker: José Antonio Ocampo. Wednesday 8 September. To watch a recording of the lecture or get a copy of the presentation go to Alice Amsden Memorial Lecture.

The Import Localisation and Supply Chain Disruption study is a quarterly report that seeks to identify goods from the list of imports identified in the Import Tracker report that South Africa could possibly viably manufacture. Each quarter focuses on five manufactured items from the list of imports in the corresponding quarter's Import Tracker report. The five products in this report are: Product 1: Ceramic wares for chemical or other technical uses (technical ceramics)Product 2: Diagnostic or laboratory reagentsProduct 3: Vaccines for human medicineProduct 4: Cars and related vehicles: Cylinder capacity 1 500 cm3 to 3 000 cm3Product 5: Beauty or…

Main Bulletin:  The Real Economy Bulletin - Second Quarter 2021   The Real Economy Bulletin - Second Quarter 2021 In this edition Gross domestic product: The GDP grew by 1.2% in the second quarter of 2021, up from the (revised) figure of 1% in the first quarter. The economy recovered 19% over the past year from the sharp COVID-induced downturn in the second quarter of 2020. Still, as of the second quarter, it remained 1.4% lower than before the pandemic. The data for the GDP do not, however, reflect either the violent unrest in July or the impact of the severe third wave of the…

Fin24 - 9 August 2021 by Lameez Omarjee

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SUMMARY: While the concept of a just transition dates back half a century, only recently has it entered the mainstream discourse. Its scope and application remain a source of debates and disagreements, with the term being already co-opted by various parties. The policy interventions required to effect and finance a just transition in a given context are similarly yet to be determined. This paper aims to contribute to unpacking the meaning of a just transition and the tools to foster it. It discusses the three key dimensions of a just transition - procedural, distributive and restorative justice - highlighted the varying degrees of ambition existing in different framings and review the policy toolbox for each of the three dimensions.

KEY FINDING: A socio-economic transition is underway, underpinned primarily by climate change and the Fourth Industrial Revolution. People, communities, companies and countries, however, have a different ability to respond and adapt to the disruption. This is compounded by the persistence of a deeply unequal political and economic system. This has led to calls for a “just transition” to an inclusive green economy, to ensure that vulnerable stakeholders are better off through the transition process, or at least not negatively impacted by it. Yet the scope and application of the just transition agenda remain a source of debates and disagreements.

Engineering News - 14 September 2021 by Terence Creamer

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Mail & Guardian - 21 September 2021 by Tunicia Phillips  

Thomson Reuters - 29 September 2021 by Kim Harribserg

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Presentations Ulrich Harmes-Liedtke -  Partner at Mesopartner Presentation: Global trends in Quality Infrastructure Eduardo Trajano Gadret - Researcher-Technologist in Metrology and Qualith at INMENTO Presentation: Quality Infrastructure in Brazil Martin Chesire - Chief Executive Officer at Kenya Accreditation Service (KENAS) Presentation: Quality Infrastructure in Kenya Programme14:00: Facilitator opens the…

The TIPS Development Dialogue seminar on Quality Infrastructure and Post COVID-19 Economic Recovery provided an overview of the importance of Quality Infrastructure in industrial development, and looked at international experiences and the role of these institutions. The recording of the seminar and copies of the presentations are available here.