Background
South Africa, in line with global trends, aims to transition to an inclusive green economy. Industrial policy is core to this process, notably to ensure a ‘just transition’, consisting of maximising the benefits of the transition and minimising the risks associated with not transitioning; but done in line with South Africa’s capabilities to minimise the short-term trade-offs and threats. This requires a careful alignment of South Africa’s industrial policy with the inclusive green economy paradigm to support the country’s green industrial development.
In order to inform such a transformation, TIPS, within the framework of a UN Environment project financed by the EU, conducted a review of South Africa’s industrial policy from an inclusive green economy lens. It investigated the extent to which South Africa’s industrial policy is responding to, if not driving, the country’s transition to an inclusive green economy.
The workshop aims to share findings and recommendations from the research and gather insights from key stakeholders on their relevance and possible implementation. The review applies a methodology developed by UN Environment and looks at policy process, policy design and policy implementation with regards to the transition to green industrial development.
Programme
08h30 – 09h00: Registration and arrival
09h00 – 09h15: Opening and welcome, Department of environment Forestry and Fisheries (DEFF) and Department of Trade and Industry (the dti)
09h15 – 09h30: Presentation of global trends on green industrial policy, UN Environment
09h30 – 10h00: Presentations of review findings, TIPS
10h00 – 11h45: Discussion
11h45 – 12h00: Closure
12h00: Lunch
RSVP: natasha@tips.org.za

AGENDA
14:15 - 14:30 Arrival and coffee / tea
14:30 - 14:45 Opening and welcome by chairperson
14:45 - 16:00 Presentations:
Neva Makgetla: Unemployment and GDP in perspective
Rudi Dicks: Accelerating industrial policy to drive growth
16:00 - 16:30 Discussion
16:30 Closure and light snacks
BACKGROUND
The latest jobs numbers and GDP figures point to the urgency of a strategy to put the economy on an upward trajectory. South Africa has huge capacity, but the vicious cycle of slow growth from 2015 is eroding the resilience of the economy and policy space. In this context, industrial policy has been put forward as an enabler, with the Presidency committed to driving growth through a more systematic approach to industry support and unblocking constraints.
This development dialogue will outline the recent economic data and discuss the potential role for industrial policy and stimulus options.
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS
Rudi Dicks is the outcome 4 facilitator in the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation in the Presidency.
Neva Makgetla is a senior economist at TIPS. Makgetla has published widely on the South African economy and worked for many years in government, most recently as Deputy Director General for Policy in the Economics Development Department, as well as in COSATU.
AGENDA
10:00 - 10:15 Arrival and coffee / tea
10:15 - 10:30 Opening and welcome by Chairperson: Xolelwa Mlumbi
10:30 - 12:00 Presentations:
Neva Makgetla: South Africa's exports and inclusive industrialisation
Faizel Ismail: A 'Developmental Regionalism' approach to the AfCFTA
Christopher Wood: Tracking imports, trends and anomalies
12:00 - 12:45 Discussion
12:45 Lunch
BACKGROUND
Exports are often seen as a necessary feature for industrialisation. Looking at the basket of South Africa's exported products, is there an opportunity in expanding or shifting exports to improve the industrial capacity of the country? How does the region feature within South Africa's exports? Expanding exports to neighbouring countries without comparable imports have seen significant trade imbalances. Will the African Continental Free Trade Agreement result in improved exports and imports, and ultimately support an industrialisation strategy for African economies? This Development Dialogue aims to discuss some of these challenges.
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS
Xolelwa Mlumbi is the Deputy Director-General responsible for the International Trade and Economic Development (ITED) division at the Department of Trade and Industry.
Neva Makgetla is a senior economist at TIPS. Makgetla has published widely on the South African economy and worked for many years in government, most recently as Deputy Director General for Policy in the Economics Development Department, as well as in COSATU.
Dr Faizel Ismail is an Adjunct Professor at the UCT School of Economics and a TIPS Research Associate. He has previously been an advisor to the dti on International Trade and Special Envoy on the African Growth and Opportunity Act and served as the Ambassador Permanent Representative of South Africa to the WTO (2010-2014).
Christopher Wood is an economist at TIPS focusing on trade and industry policy. He set up the TIPS import tracker, which monitors the trends, spikes and highest imports. Chris previously worked as a researcher in economic diplomacy at the South African Institute of International Affairs.
10:30 - 10:45: Opening and Welcome
10:45 - 12:00: Presentations:
12:30: Lunch
This Development Dialogue aims to discuss some of the challenges and issues for consideration in how the education system impacts on industrial capacity and areas that require attention.
RSVP by email: rozale@tips.org.za
10:30 - 10:45: Opening and Welcome
10:45 - 12:00: Presentations by:
12:30: Lunch
BACKGROUND
The negotiations for the Continental Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) are underway. Among other things, this massive undertaking has the potential to establish a sizeable market for a range of manufactured products and in doing so support the industrialisation of African countries. Yet it holds many pitfalls that could undermine industrial capacity and contribute to deindustrialisation in those countries with existing capacity.
This Development Dialogue aims to discuss some of the challenges and issues for consideration in the negotiation of the CFTA and its alignment with Africa’s ambition of supporting industrialisation on the continent.
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS
Carlos Lopes: Professor Lopes is a Bissau-Guinean development economist, who served as the eighth Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (2012-2016). He is a Professor at the Mandela School of Public Governance, UCT and Visiting Professor at Sciences Po, Paris. In 2017 he was a Visiting fellow at the Oxford Martin School, University of Oxford. Lopes previously served the United Nations as Kofi Annan‘s Political Director, Head of Policy at UNDP, Director of the United Nations System Staff College and Executive Director of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). He is a Chatham House Associate Fellow and currently serves as the African Union High representative for negotiations with Europe.
Faizel Ismail: Dr Faizel Ismail is an Adjunct Professor at the UCT School of Economics and a TIPS Research Associate. He has previously been an advisor to the Department of Trade and Industry on International Trade and Special Envoy on the African Growth and Opportunity Act, and served as the Ambassador Permanent Representative of South Africa to the WTO (2010-2014).