Current projects
Currently, AIPA is commissioned by the ministry of trade and industry (DTI)
of the Republic of South Africa to undertake a research on African industrial
development strategy. The aim of the project is to provide the ministry (DTI)
with policy document. Its strategic objective is to assist African countries
to achieve accelerated industrial development.
The project has three components(themes),
- Joint Infrastructural Development in Africa
This research project will look at the respective demand structures and the magnitude of economic activities between different trading hubs, investment opportunities and input and product markets. It will assess the existing infrastructure stock in the SADC region. The legal and institutional framework of the infrastructure sector in the region and the policy harmonisation and co-ordination needs will be assessed. It will determine the demand for cross-border joint infrastructure investment, the demand for the rehabilitation of existing infrastructure and the needs for maintenance and operation. The financing options for the joint investment projects will be explored.
- Free Trade Agreements: Possibilities for Integration of SACU, SADC,
COMESA and Other REC's
The aim of this project is to investigate the possibility of estabilishing broader integration arangements that would embrace the existing integration arrangements between the FTAs taking due cognisance of existing bilateral and multilateral relationship of individual countries.
- Capacity Building Initiatives in Africa
The aim of this research is to have a closer look at the lack of adequate capacity (human as well as institutional capacity) in Africa that is believed to be a contributing factor to sluggish economic development; to determine the state of such capacity and propose measures aimed at improving it; to study the extent and causes of brain drain and investigate if there are economically viable options to stop it. It also aims to determine the extent of South African companies' involvement in the rest of Africa and the impact of this involvement on the capacity building initiatives of African countries.