South Africa

United States

Taiwan

Military & Security

Politics

Chair of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee on Africa Ted Cruz accused South Africa of undermining "the national security interests of the United States and its allies" by pressing Taiwan to relocate its liaison office outside Pretoria, News24 reported on Feb. 5.

South Africa, U.S.: Ted Cruz Accuses South Africa of Undermining U.S. National Security Over Taiwan Office Relocation  

Burundi

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Rwanda

Uganda

Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye warned against a regionalization of the conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and accused Rwanda of "preparing something" against Burundi, Radio France Internationale reported on Feb. 2. 

Congo: Burundi Warns of Regional War as South African Forces Languish, Uganda Deploys Troops

Economics

U.S. President Donald Trump accused the South African government of confiscating land and "treating a certain class of people VERY BADLY," adding that he would cut U.S. funding to South Africa until an investigation on the matter was completed, Reuters reported on Feb. 3.

South Africa, U.S.: Trump Vows To 'Cut Funding' Over Expropriation Bill

Energy

Dan Marokane, the CEO of South Africa's state-owned electricity company Eskom, said the company would impose "Stage 3" load-shedding, or rolling power cuts, from Jan. 31 to Feb. 2 due to power plant breakdowns having depleted the company’s diesel reserves, News24 reported Jan. 31.

South Africa: Eskom Announces 'Temporary' Return of Load-Shedding  

South African Defense Minister Angie Motshekga said South African President Cyril Ramaphosa had warned Rwandan President Paul Kagame that further fatalities among South African forces deployed to the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo would be tantamount to a "declaration of war" and require Pretoria to "defend our people," the Financial Times reported on Jan. 30.

South Africa: Defense Minister Warns Rwanda Against More South African Troop Deaths in Congo

John Steenhuisen, the leader of South Africa's center-right Democratic Alliance, or DA, said his party remained committed to supporting South Africa's coalition government despite President Cyril Ramaphosa's signing of the controversial Expropriation Bill into law on Jan. 23, Bloomberg reported on Jan. 28.

South Africa: DA Committed to Unity Government Despite Dispute Over Expropriation Bill

Ian Bird, the head of transport and logistics for the Business for South Africa alliance, said several mining companies aimed to strike agreements with state-owned transport company Transnet in February that could pave the way for significant private sector investments in the country's railways, Bloomberg reported on Jan. 24.

South Africa: Miners Mull Investments in Railways To Turn Around Freight Transport

Executive chair of the International Steel Fabricators of South Africa Neels van Niekerk warned that up to 100,000 jobs could be lost in the country if steel manufacturing corporation ArcelorMittal halted its local production of long steel at the end of January as planned, News24 reported on Jan. 16.

South Africa: Concerns Mount as ArcelorMittal Prepares To Stop Long-Steel Production

Assessments

Environment, Science & Technology

Social Issues

The Geopolitics of Water

Science & Technology

While government reforms will help catalyze much-needed investments in water infrastructure, these are unlikely to rapidly resolve the country's water supply challenges, which threaten to undermine South Africa's economic growth amid more frequent droughts. 

The Geopolitics of Water: The Cascading Effects of South African Underinvestment in Water Infrastructure

Ethiopia

Kenya

Brazil

Egypt

Iran

United Arab Emirates

China

Indonesia

Russia

Moldova

India

Vehicles pass by a banner thanking outgoing Indonesian President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and congratulating President-elect Prabowo Subianto and Vice President-elect Gibran Rakabuming Raka ahead of their Oct. 20 inauguration in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Oct. 17, 2024.

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended RANE articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: An Impeachment Case in Kenya, an Inauguration in Indonesia

Angola

Botswana

Comoros

Lesotho

Madagascar

Malawi

Mauritius

Mozambique

Namibia

Seychelles

Eswatini

Tanzania

Zambia

Zimbabwe

Israel

Lebanon

Palestinian Territories

Qatar

Vietnam

France

Yael Braun-Pivet, a French lawmaker for the ruling Renaissance party, delivers a speech after being reelected as National Assembly president following the third round of voting on July 18, 2024.

Israel-Hamas Conflict

The Weekly Rundown: France Resumes Political Horse-Trading, Blinken Returns to Middle East

Photograph of the Union Buildings in Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa, at night. 

The government will likely face intra-coalition challenges and strong pushback from trade unions, but early signs of compromise from both the DA and ANC suggest it could successfully pass several structural reforms in the coming years.

The Challenges Facing South Africa's New Coalition Government 

Venezuela

Saudi Arabia

Europe

Ukraine

U.S. President Joe Biden speaks during a press conference at the 75th NATO Summit in Washington, D.C., on July 11, 2024. 

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

U.S.-China Relations

U.S.-Iran Relations

Biden's exit from the U.S. presidential race will free him to pursue more aggressive action against Russia over Ukraine and increase pressure on Israel to end its war with Hamas. 

What To Expect from Biden's Foreign Policy Farewell Tour

Parc des Champions on July 4, 2024, at the foot of the Eiffel Tower at the Trocadero in Paris.

The Weekly Rundown: The Paris Olympics, Netanyahu Addresses Congress

Japan

The European Commission in Brussels. On July 18, incumbents Roberta Metsola and Ursula von der Leyen are expected to be confirmed for a second term as presidents of the European Parliament and the European Commission, respectively.

The Weekly Rundown: A New European Commission President, the Third Plenary Session of the CPC

Snapshots

Turkey

A map illustrating Turkey (in red) and the BRICS countries (in blue).

Joining BRICS would underscore Turkey's balancing act between the West and the Global South, but the organization's weaknesses will limit its potential for economic growth.

For Turkey, BRICS Is Far From a Political and Economic Panacea

Australia

Malaysia

New Zealand

Germany

Switzerland

President Cyril Ramaphosa is sworn in as member of parliament during the first sitting of the new South African parliament on June 14 in Cape Town, South Africa. Ramaphosa will be inaugurated to a second term in a ceremony scheduled to take place June 19 in Pretoria.

The Weekly Rundown: Ukraine's Peace Summit, South Africa's Inauguration

South African President and leader of the African National Congress (ANC) Cyril Ramaphosa (center) delivers his remarks after the official announcement of the results of South Africa's general election at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand, on June 2, 2024. 

Global Elections

To secure a parliamentary majority, President Ramaphosa appears likely to seek an agreement with the center-right Democratic Alliance party, which would raise investor confidence but also risk triggering violent unrest.

What's Next for South Africa Following the ANC's Historic Electoral Defeat

Mexico

A rally for Morena party candidate Claudia Sheinbaum on May 29 in Mexico City's Zocalo.

The Weekly Rundown: South Africa's ANC Faces a Reckoning, Mexican Voters Select a New President

South Korea

United Kingdom

Supporters of the African National Congress (ANC) party dance, sing and chant slogans during a campaign march on May 24, 2024, in Johannesburg, South Africa. 

The Weekly Rundown: South Africa's General Election, Israel Resumes Hostage Talks With Hamas

At the tip of the African continent lies South Africa. The country borders Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique and also surrounds Lesotho and much of Swaziland. South Africa's current borders were consolidated by the British in 1910 as the Union of South Africa, following the Boer Wars between the United Kingdom and Dutch settlers.    The Drakensberg and Karoo mountains rim the coastlines, separating a dry interior from a coastal region, which captures the majority of the country's rainfall.    Two key factors distinguish South Africa from much of the rest of the continent. The country has a malaria-free climate, which attracted European settlers. It also has abundant mineral resources — including gold, diamonds, coal and platinum — in the north-central interior.    This mining area is the geographic core of South Africa — encompassing the cities of Johannesburg and Pretoria and adjoining parts of Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West and Free State provinces. This core is connected by road and rail to a series of ports — from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth, to Durban and Richards Bay — that carry goods and resources to and from Gauteng.    The wealth generated there underwrites financial, agricultural, industrial and manufacturing activity in other parts of South Africa.    South Africa's geographic challenge is to protect the extraction of natural resources in its interior while striving to maintain sufficient employment. It must then find ways to disperse enough wealth to appease its populations in the Gauteng and peripheral zones of the country.

SITUATION REPORTS

South Africa, U.S.: Ted Cruz Accuses South Africa of Undermining U.S. National Security Over Taiwan Office Relocation

Congo: Burundi Warns of Regional War as South African Forces Languish, Uganda Deploys Troops

South Africa, U.S.: Trump Vows To 'Cut Funding' Over Expropriation Bill

South Africa: Eskom Announces 'Temporary' Return of Load-Shedding

South Africa: Defense Minister Warns Rwanda Against More South African Troop Deaths in Congo

South Africa: DA Committed to Unity Government Despite Dispute Over Expropriation Bill

South Africa: Miners Mull Investments in Railways To Turn Around Freight Transport

South Africa: Concerns Mount as ArcelorMittal Prepares To Stop Long-Steel Production

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