Polity
Article by: Amy Witherden
Published: 09 Feb 2010
From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I'm Amy Witherden.
Making headlines:
The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad) says that governments of developing countries should eliminate market barriers and policies that prevent the flow of capital into the sectors of energy efficiency, sustainable agricultural methods and renewable energy. In the ‘Trade and Environment Review' report released yesterday, Unctad stated that, contrary to previous actions, the current global financial crisis was not a time for ‘belt tightening', but rather a chance for poorer nations to redirect resources to economic growth that is more economically efficient, better for the environment, more socially equitable and more promising over the long term. South African Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, Buyelwa Sonjica, who wrote a foreword for the report, said that "the fight against climate change can bring several benefits for human and economic development." She added that it is technologically and financially possible to steer developing economies in a ‘cleaner' direction.
Rapid and chaotic urbanisation is threatening sustainable development in Africa, the head of the United Nations (UN) housing agency said yesterday, but taking steps to mitigate climate change could help tackle some of the problems of cities. Speaking at a conference on the future of cities at Chatham House in London, executive director of UN-HABITAT Anna Tibaijuka said that the populations of large, fast-expanding African cities, such as Lagos in Nigeria, are predicted to continue growing at annual rates of around 4%, putting pressure on the provision of housing and basic services. After HIV/ Aids, Tibaijuka said that the biggest threat to sustainable development in Africa is rapid and chaotic urbanisation, because it is a "recipe for disaster for increased tensions and pressure." She added that more investment is needed in making urban growth more sustainable, for instance, by improving infrastructure and technology.
Mine nationalisation in South Africa is not an imminent policy threat, nor even a fully fledged policy consideration. But the debate could be important in helping to shape the future leadership dynamics within the governing African National Congress (ANC), said Control Risks senior Southern Africa analyst Anne Fruehauf yesterday. Briefing the media on the international risk consultancy's annual "RiskMap 2010", Fruehauf said that the nationalisation debate is all about internal party dynamics and players positioning themselves ahead of the ANC's 2012 elective conference. The issue of nationalisation has been given impetus by the ANC Youth League. The league's spokesperson Floyd Shivambu recently wrote an article in City Press outlining that it envisaged that nationalisation could take various forms. However, despite this recent attempt at adding flesh to the bones of the policy proposal, Fruehauf argued that the debate is still more symbolic of the very disparate set of factions within the ruling alliance rather than a real policy discussion.
Also making headlines:
The African National Congress seems to see President Jacob Zuma's sexual indiscretions as affecting his chances of running for a second term.
Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos warns his new government against corruption.
The Congress of the People is to move for a motion of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma when Parliament reopens this week.
And, an International Criminal Court prosecutor says that former Liberian President Charles Taylor's war crimes trial should be resolved by the end of the year.
That's a roundup of news making headlines today.