...that China has adapted to trade with Africa and introduces the concept of the “Chinese Model”. This model highlights the driving forces behind China’s strategic decisions and introduces some controversial arguments around some of the methods that China has adopted. An important part of this discussion is the comparison of China’s strategy with that of the West (i.e. regions like the United States of America (USA/US) and the European Union (EU). Some interesting statistics reveal that Africa is attracting significant amounts of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and is most likely to continue doing so. 1. Analyse and Discuss the Extent of Trade between China and Africa since 2000. (Jones S. 2012; Alessi C. 2012; China Daily.Com 2011; African Development Bank 2011; The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation 2011) China will overtake the United States of America (USA/US) as the world’s largest trade partner by.2016. (Jones, S. 2012). China is Africa’s...
Words: 5597 - Pages: 23
...Structure and composition of the Earth The overall composition of the Earth is very similar to that of meteorites, and because of this, it is thought that the Earth originally formed from Planetesimals composed largely of metallic iron and silicates. What makes Earth unique? Soon after the Earth formed, unique processes occurred - division into metallic core, silicate mantle and crust - which, along with surface water, made it different from the other planets in our Solar System. The formation of the early mantle was important as it consisted primarily of ferromagnesium silicate minerals, some of which contained water as an essential component (e.g. amphibole group minerals). Water-bearing magmas (molten rock) from deep in the lower mantle then rose towards the surface (being liquid, they were lighter than the surrounding solid rock) and emerged as volcanic eruptions. The Earth's atmosphere and hydrosphere developed from the degassing (loss of gaseous elements such as carbon, hydrogen and oxygen) of the early-formed core and mantle during this volcanic activity. In the present, abundant gases are still released from the Earth during volcanic eruptions and these are mainly composed of water (77%), carbon dioxide (12%), sulfur dioxide (7%), and nitrogen (3%), with minor amounts of hydrogen, carbon monoxide, sulfur, chlorine and argon. The Earth can be divided into two main parts. Atmosphere: measured from the surface of the Earth upwards to 150 km (anything above this...
Words: 6184 - Pages: 25
...Rondebosch 7701, South Africa a r t i c l e in fo abstract Article history: Received 18 April 2008 Energy efficiency is one of the most potent and cost effective ways of meeting the demands of sustainable development. It has in fact been referred to as the best energy resource. Way back in 2005 the South African Department of Minerals and Energy (DME) published its Energy Efficiency Strategy in support of some of the objectives enlisted in the 1998 White Paper on Energy Policy. The Strategy set a national target for energy efficiency improvement of 12% by 2015 against the baseline year 2000. The document further predicted that, with a business as usual model of energy usage, at the projected rate of national economic development, there would be a need to invest in new power generating capacity by around 2007. Despite the policy foresight and seemingly enthusiastic efforts, though, the dawn of 2008 saw the country gripped in an electric power crisis, with a capacity shortfall of over 10%. This paper looks at what could have gone wrong, examines energy efficiency policies and measures in other countries and how these lessons could be adopted to the South African context. & 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: South Africa Environment Energy security Energy efficiency 1. Introduction and background ‘Electricity demand has not reduced by the required 10% in order to stabilise the national power grid. ESKOM has therefore instituted load shedding...
Words: 6935 - Pages: 28
...has been clouded with varying judgements on the great issue of whether South African mines should be nationalised or not. The camp in favour of nationalisation, Former President of ANC Youth League, Julius Malema echoes the words of the Freedom Charter in that “The National Wealth of our country… the mineral wealth beneath the soil, the banks and the monopoly industry shall be transferred to the ownership of the people as a whole”. The camp not in favour sees this vision in a different light. Nonetheless, this essay investigates the feasibility of nationalising the country’s mining sector from both a theoretical and empirical stand point. 2. WHERE IT’S ALL STARTED Nationalisation of mines has been called for in order to give back to the country as the government will have direct control over the sector. This, they believe, will present more employment opportunities, better working conditions for miners, a more efficient distribution of income and overall improvement in service delivery. Julius Malema (the main instigator behind the call for nationalisation), proposes that the state take a controlling share of 60% in all private mines, all which will be managed by a state owned mining firm (LeadershipOnline, n.d). According to Malema, nationalisation will achieve the following: ➢ Increase the State’s budget for social development objectives; ➢ Be a basis from which the country’s minerals are locally beneficiated and industrialised; ➢ Improve the pay and working...
Words: 1316 - Pages: 6
...Resources abound in africa but how to manage them well to take advantage of absolute and comparatives cost ADVANTAGES is the problem. Introduction Africa is endowed with a rich diversity of environmental resources. Some of these are geographical, terrestrial, aquatic and country-specific resources while others transcend national boundaries of two or more countries within the region or continent. Since World War II, Africans have embarked on the massive utilisation of their environmental resources for improving their quality of life and that of their global business partners (Frobel et al. 1988; French 2000). In spite of the abundance of these resources, local communities, predominantly smallholder farmers and pastoralists, whose production systems are based on Traditional Environmental Knowledge Systems (TEKS), are now unable to meet their basic needs, sustain environmental productivity and even have an equitable share of the global wealth (ADALCO 1990). The predominance of international trade over local needs fostered, among other things, specialisation in spatial production and exchange of goods and services on a global scale, what evolved today as theories of Absolute and Comparative Advantage. Consequently, it is evident that in some geographical areas, natural resources are still sustainably utilised, while in others there is evidence of environmental degradation or inefficient utiliatization (Stebbing 1935; Timberlake 1985; Blaikie 1989; Juma and Ford 1992; Rugumamu...
Words: 5280 - Pages: 22
...Energy Policy 31 (2003) 721–734 Electricity and externalities in South Africa Randall Spalding-Fechera,*, David Khorommbi Matibeb b a Energy and Development Research Centre, University of Cape Town, Private Bag, Rondebosch 7700, South Africa Gauteng Department of Agricultural Conservation and Environment, PO Box 8769, Johannesburg 2000, South Africa Abstract As the electricity supply sector in developing countries undergoes increasingly rapid restructuring, and technology and fuel choices widen, understanding the environmental implications of investment choices becomes ever more important. The objective of this paper is to expand previous analysis of the external costs of electric power generation in South Africa. We present a quantitative analysis of air pollution impacts on human health, damages from greenhouse gas emissions, and the avoided health costs from electrification, as well as discussing other impacts qualitatively. The central estimate of total external costs is R7.3 billion, or 4.4 cents per unit of coal-fired power generated. Relative to current electricity prices, the external costs are approximately 40 and 20 per cent of industrial and residential tariffs, respectively. We then discuss policy options for addressing these costs, including taxation, tradable permit systems, and integrated resource planning, as well as expanded regional energy trade and the possibility of accessing climate change-related funding for cleaner electricity production. r 2002 Elsevier...
Words: 10891 - Pages: 44
...Case Study - AngloAmerican [pic] Business ethics and corporate social responsibility 1. Introduction Anglo American is one of the world’s leading mining companies. It is a UK public limited company and operates on a global scale. Anglo American operates mainly in the primary sector of the world economy. This, as the name suggests, covers industries involved in the first stage of economic activity, such as mining and agriculture. [pic] Anglo American operates throughout the world. It has extensive operations in Africa, where 76% of its employees live. It is also a major employer in Europe. Its Tarmac aggregates and construction products business employs nearly 7,000 people in the UK. As a primary producer, Anglo American plays an important role in the world economy. Anglo American produces five main types of raw material. [pic] Mining operations can have a big impact on the environment and on the societies where they work. Since most mineral resources belong to nation states, mining companies largely depend upon a licence to operate from governments. This allows them to extract and process minerals in return for investment and the payment of taxes and royalties. Increasingly it is also important to get the consent of local communities to mining development – a ‘social licence’ to operate. Like all businesses, mining companies are under increasing scrutiny from pressure groups as well as the general public. Anglo American seeks to adopt fair and sound business...
Words: 2017 - Pages: 9
...SOUTH AFRICA 756 SOUTH AFRICA SOUTH AFRICA 1. GENERAL INFORMATION 1.1. General Overview The Republic of South Africa occupies the southernmost part of the African continent (see Figure 1), stretching latitudinally from 22° to 35° S and longitudinally from 17° to 33° E. Its surface area is 1 219 090 km². It has common boundaries with the republics of Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, while the Republic of Mozambique and the Kingdom of Swaziland lie to the northeast (Figure 2). Completely enclosed by South African territory in the southeast is the mountain Kingdom of Lesotho. FIG. 1. African Continent To the west, south and east, South Africa borders on the Atlantic and southern Indian oceans. Isolated, 1 920 km southeast of Cape Town in the Atlantic, lie Prince Edward and Marion islands, which became part of South Africa in 1947. South Africa has a lengthy coastline of about 3 000 km. This coastline is swept by two major ocean currents – the warm south-flowing Mozambique-Agulhas current and the cold Benguela. The SOUTH AFRICA 757 former skirts the east and south coasts as far as Cape Agulhas while the Benguela current flows northwards along the west coast as far as southern Angola. The contrast in temperature between these two currents partly accounts for important differences in climate and vegetation between the east and west coasts of South Africa. It also causes big differences in marine life, the cold waters of the west coast being much richer in oxygen...
Words: 8706 - Pages: 35
...DOES HUMANITARIAN INTERVENTION HELP RESOLVE CONFLICTS? CASE STUDY ON THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO. INTRODUCTION This essay will point out the definition of humanitarian intervention and the lack of definition or misinterpretation of the legality of humanitarian intervention. It will give a historical description on the nature of the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the exploitation of the country and the main instigators fuelling this conflict. It will analyse the humanitarian intervention efforts by the international community and how has it helped in the conflict resolutions to protect the nation’s citizens. It will also give you the different organisations, a description of the contributions the international community are trying to achieve to alleviate the suffering of the population as well as the measures to help the nation from ceasing the continuation of this ongoing conflict. The definition of what constitutes humanitarian intervention can be questioned both legally, morally and politically, it has been defined as a states use of military force against another state or within the state, aim at ending human rights violations but should be best understood as intervening without military force to alleviate mass human suffering within sovereign borders. (Wikipedia, 25th Sep 2013) Another excellent definition as stated by Holzgrefe, J.L is a “threat or use of force across state borders by a state (or group of states) aimed at...
Words: 2522 - Pages: 11
...ABSTRACT In the recent years China has been seen as a major competition in the international economic market. It has been replacing many western states as the top trading and investment partner in many African states, and for decades it has been one of Africa’s best friends, helping in the decolonization process and building key infrastructure projects on the continent. China has been providing many African governments with cheap loans in exchange for securing their means of accumulating natural resources based on the principle of non-intervention and respect for sovereignty, which gives no strings attached. For more than a decade, diplomatic relations between China and South Africa have been marked a great growing relationship between both states. From a period of no official ties to limited interaction between the South African and Chinese Governments, the relationship has subsequently developed to become one of the closest between African and Asian states. Growing economic engagement, which underpins the warm ties between the two states, has put South Africa amongst China’s top three trading partners on the continent. Moreover, China is an emerging market economy; with a fast track of being the next economic rising superpower in the world and its current relations between it and Africa continue to grow fast with foreign direct investment increasing thirty-fold between 2003 and 2011, from US$491m to US$14.7 billion. In 2012, China pledged US$20 billion of loans to Africa over...
Words: 8475 - Pages: 34
...Developing Country International Business Environment Paper SWOT Analysis of The Republic of Malawi Introduction Malawi is one of the few countries in Africa in which doing business is relatively safe. Located in the southeastern region of the continent, Malawi is landlocked bordering with Zambia, Tanzania, Mozambique, and with the Lake Malawi which is the major body of water of the country. It is one of the most densely populated African countries with a regional, young, and patriarchal society. Total population is estimated to be 16,323,044 for a total land of 94,080sq, more than half the population lives below the poverty line. The population suffers from high illiteracy rate and death rate. Christianity is the major religion but Islam is also widely practiced among the people. Chewa is the official language but government and commerce is conducted in English which is spoken on most of the cities but scarcely on the rural areas. Two major cities of importance are Blantyre which is the commercial center and the largest city of the country and the capital, Lilongwe, in which all the government is located with the exception of the Supreme Court, located in Blantyre. Political Malawi is a multiparty democracy with 28 administrative districts which are divided into traditional authorities and then into administrative wards throughout the country. Since Malawi was once a colony of England, the legal system is a mix of English common law and customary law. The official president...
Words: 2052 - Pages: 9
...CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1.1Background to the study Mining is the extraction of minerals and precious metals from the earth. These minerals and metals consist of manganese, tantalum, copper, tin, silver, diamonds and gold. Mining may be considered in two forms: large scale mining and small scale mining. Large scale mining generally employs large number of people and produces huge tonnes of gold. Examples of companies who engage in these are the Anglo-Gold Ashanti of Ghana, Newmont Ghana, Goldfields Ghana and Minas Serra Palade Mines in Brazil which employed about over thousands workers and yielded thousands tonnes of gold (Amankwah and Anim-Sackey, 2003). Small scale mining is a form of mining that is done at small levels and mostly employs relatively a low number of people (Appiah, 1998). It is generally engaged in by local people within the area where these activities occur, and comes along with it the influx of people from other areas. Small Scale Mining companies use a considerable number of the labour force in the country. While there is no accurate SSM employment number for Ghana (Appiah, 1998), it is estimated that some 500,000 people are openly employed in the sector while additional 500,000 may indirectly be benefiting from the doings. About half of those directly engaged in the S.S.M are said to be illegal operators (Amankwah & Anim-Sackey, 2003) commonly known as “galamsey operators”. The actions of small-scale miners also generate economic linkages with other...
Words: 9470 - Pages: 38
...SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONAL DEFENCE COLLEGE THABA TSHWANE THE CAUSES AND DYNAMICS OF CONFLICT IN CENTRAL AFRICA By Ms C. Auret November 2009 This research paper was written by a programme member attending the South African National Defence College in fulfilment of one of the requirements of the Executive National Security Programme 20/09. The paper is a scholastic document and this contains facts and opinions which the author alone considered appropriate and correct for subject. It does not necessarily reflect the opinion of any agency, including the South African Government or Department of Defence. This paper may not be released, quoted or copied except with the express permission of the Department of Defence. INDEX |HEADING |PAGE | | | | | | | |Abstract……………………………………………………………………………… |3 | |Introduction………………………………………………………………………….. |3 | |Historical Review of Conflict in Central Africa ……………………………...
Words: 7988 - Pages: 32
...than in South East Asia and the other faster growing developing economies. Globalization has definitely created opportunities for various parts of the economy to gain access to larger pools of resources as well as markets. While this may generally be perceived to have impacted positively on the beneficiaries, there are also indications that globalization has introduced new risks to environments that were hitherto closed to those risks. The increased risk may, in some cases, have accentuated poverty and worsened income distribution in parts of the country. While poverty has always been generally closely associated with the condition of African states, its link with globalization is a more recent development, and is much less understood. The relationship between globalization and poverty is obscured by the fact that for long poverty was more generally associated with rural economies and societies than urban ones, while globalization was expected to reflect the transactions of the more urban sections of African societies. But there are indications that urban poverty is growing and the links between rural and urban economies are...
Words: 17946 - Pages: 72
...Colonial powers have always been able to justify the exploitation of Africa through the notion of ‘interdependence.’ What this means is that colonial powers require African natural resources, while Africa has always needed colonial investment and other financial resources in order to develop and grow. It is through this supposed interdependence that to justify completely taking control of the African continent (Martin 1982: 223). While formal colonialism has come to an end, what has risen from it is what is known as ‘neo-colonialism.’ Kwame Nkrumah, former Ghanaian president is an instrumental figure in defining the concept of neo-colonialism. He believes neo-colonialism is where a theoretically independent and sovereign state has its political and economic affairs externally controlled to serve the interests of the controlling party. He believes that it “imperialism it’s final and perhaps it’s most dangerous stage” (Nkrumah 2012 [1965]: 158) because of the fact that the neo-colonial powers have no social responsibility to the people of the citizens of the controlled state. Chikowore (2002: 43) agrees with this notion, adding that a cultural and economic dependence is created, so as to keep the oppressed nation in that state. Both scholars agree that there is exploitation of the people without the neo-colonial power having to show any social responsibility (Nkrumah 2012 [1965]: 158 and Chikowore (2002: 43). Martin (1982:227) believes that the control is exerted subtly through...
Words: 3208 - Pages: 13
