Event Reports

Welcoming a New Cohort of KAS-SAIIA Scholars.

Investing in the Next Generation of African Leaders!

The KAS-SAIIA Scholar’s Welcome event is co-organised by the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung’s Regional Programme – Political Dialogue for Sub-Saharan Africa (PolDiSSA) and the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA). Since 1999 KAS has funded an internship pro-gramme, run by SAIIA, providing successful candidates with the opportunity to enroll for a master’s degree in International Relations, Development Studies, Political Science, Economics, Law or Journalism and other related subjects within the humanities and social sciences discipline, while simultaneously working at the SAIIA office in Cape Town or Johannesburg. The welcome event, hosted at the KAS Office in Johannesburg brings together the newly se-lected cohort of SAIIA scholars, staff from KAS and SAIIA, notable members of the alumni network and experts to discuss contemporary issues in development, politics and internation-al relations. Former scholars also reflect on their career journeys, serving to inspire the new scholars. For 2025, the keynote address was delivered by Dr. Phakamisa Siyothula, a KAS-SAIIA alumni from the class of 2005 who now serves as a Director in the National Office for the Coordination of Peace Missions (NOCPM) at the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO).

The Annual African Policy Circle (APC) Conference, December 2024, Lilongwe, Malawi

South Africa’s Presidency of the G20: Steering Digital Rights Inclusion and Anti-Corruption Efforts.

South Africa assumed the presidency of the Group of 20 (G20) in December 2024 under the theme ‘Fostering solidarity, equality and sustainable development. Africa Renewal described this as “a pivotal moment for the country and Africa.” In addition, the African Union's inclu-sion in the group during the G20 Summit in 2023 well-positions the two entities to collaborate and incorporate the goals and aspirations of African states. The South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA), a member of the African Policy Cir-cle (APC), alongside two other South African institutions, has been appointed by the Depart-ment of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) to coordinate the Think 20 (T20) during South Africa’s G20 presidency. The T20 is a powerful tool that provides research insti-tutes with a platform to submit evidence-based research and recommendations to the G20 and to contribute to shaping policy. The 2024 APC conference allowed the invited organisations and experts to engage on the pri-orities above and key topics related to Africa's role in the G20. Participants exchanged their expertise to develop concrete output that will culminate in policy recommendations for con-sideration by the G20 workstreams on anti-corruption and digital rights inclusion. In prepara-tion for the conference, participants were expected to read through a series of G20 and other relevant documents that contributed to shaping the agenda of South Africa’s G20 presidency and the initiatives it would be expected to continue. The conference, spanning two days, was held at Ufulu Gardens and Conference Centre in Lilongwe, with participants engaging on the content of the various documents on the first day, followed by a draft outline of policy recom-mendations to be prepared for submission to the T20 in early 2025.

Event Report: 13th E-lection Bridge Conference

Engaging the Electorate and Voters Beyond Elections!!!

2024 was widely referred to as “the election year,” as half the world's population was ex-pected to vote. The Pew Research Centre stated that more voters than ever in history headed to the polls as at least 64 countries (plus the European Union)—representing a combined pop-ulation of about 49% of the people globally—were meant to hold elections, the results of which, for many, would prove consequential for years to come. In addition to elections, key political developments and successions were witnessed in the U.K.’s ruling Conservative Par-ty. At the same time, at least 17 African countries held elections with perceptible changes in Senegal, Botswana, Ghana and South Africa, to name a few. Elections are defining, determining too, the quality of democracy, the economy and foreign relations of a country. However, elections have not been the only notable way of civic participation. On the one hand, voters in some countries sent messages of frustration and dissatis-faction with the status quo, including the rising costs of living by protesting, evidenced in Kenya and other contexts. On the other hand, Unconstitutional Changes of Government (UCGs) and coups reemerged in the Sahel region. For opposition and ruling parties, engaging the vot-ers, withholding their stronghold, or ushering in change requires strategic planning. Against this backdrop, KAS' PolDiSSA programme invited representatives of political parties and members of civil society to Stellenbosch, South Africa, from 11 – 13 November 2024 to discuss issues related to election management.

Strengthening Democratic Institutions for Political Stability: DUA Conference Report

The 2024 Democrat Union of Africa (DUA) Forum was held in Accra, Ghana from the 06th to the 10th of August. The programme brought together politicians, policymakers, development experts and practitioners, civil society and academics to engage on topical issues related to democracy and governance. The main theme was “Strengthening Democratic Institutions for Political Stability: Crafting Africa’s Response.” The forum aimed to address challenges threatening democratic consolidation in Africa and globally, with sub-themes that focused on electoral irregularities, limited civic participation, and erosion of trust in governance. The programme included a keynote address by H.E. Mahamudu Bawumia, then Vice President of Ghana. Engagements on Day 2 included a plenary discussion on Togo’s political landscape, focusing also on the importance of peaceful power transitions and institutional resilience in combating authoritarianism. Delegates participated in outdoor activities on day 3, including visits to Ledzokuku and Akuapem North constituencies.

Report on the 2024 KAS-SAIIA Careers Event

Formative Futures: How to Find Employment with Your Humanities Degree

The annual KAS-SAIIA Careers event is co-organised by the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung’s RegionalProgramme – Political Dialogue for Sub-Saharan Africa (PolDiSSA) and the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA). Since 1999 KAS has funded an internship programme, run by SAIIA, providing successful candidates with the opportunity to enroll for a master’s degree in International Relations, Development Studies, Political Science, Economics, Law or Journalism and other related subjects within the humanities and social sciences discipline, while simultaneously working at the SAIIA office in Cape Town or Johannesburg. The careers evening, which is conceptualised by the current cohort of KAS-SAIIA scholars, provides insights and showcases success stories that demonstrate the versatility and relevance of humanities degrees in today’s dynamic job market. This year’s theme, Formative Futures: How to Find Employment with Your Humanities Degree explored various sectors where humanities graduates can thrive, including in policymaking, media and journalism, law, and the corporate sector. Speakers: Professor Bhaso Ndzendze, Associate Professor of Politics and International Relations. Vice-Dean of Internationalisation at the University of Johannesburg; Leanne Manas, award-winning journalist and UNHCR ambassador and Tsotang Sethabela from the South African Red Cross Society and Representatives from the Department of International Relations and Co-operation (DIRCO), Lusu Booi, Albert Geldenhuys and Kabelo Ramongane.

Fourth Europe-Africa Parliamentarian Conference held in Windhoek, Namibia.

New approaches in European Africa policy and in bilateral party cooperation

Parliamentarians from Africa and Europe met in the capital of Namibia, Windhoek, from the 24th to the 26th of November 2023 for the fourth Africa-Europe Parliamentary Conference under the title “New approaches in European Africa policy and in bilateral party cooperation.” In a total of five panel discussions, it was discussed what expectations Europe and Africa can have from each other; what trends there are in security policy on the African continent and how these are integrated into European security interests; what developments there are in international party cooperation; what challenges government parties in Africa face and under what conditions opposition parties work in Africa. Of note was an expert presentation dealing with values in Africa and led to a discussion of the extent to which African political parties represent social values.

Report on the 12th E-lection Bridge Conference

Getting elections right in Africa and globally.

In many young democracies, elections are critical, with a significant impact not only on governance but the stability of the democracy, too. The E-lection Bridge Conference is an annual convening of parties and individuals to share challenges, exchange ideas and explore possibilities for the localisation and operationalisation of democracy. The platform also serves to connect diverse experts and leading actors in political communication to share experiences for better-informed outcomes.