Institute for Global Dialogue

10/09/2026

Public Dialogue | South Africa in the World 2026

What role should South Africa play in an increasingly complex and contested world?

At a time of heightened geopolitical competition, regional uncertainty and growing domestic pressures, South Africa’s foreign policy must navigate the tension between international ambition and domestic realities. As the country continues to champion multilateralism, international law and African cooperation, critical questions remain about its diplomatic influence and positioning in a changing global order.

The Institute for Global Dialogue (IGD) and the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) South Africa invite you to a public dialogue that will critically assess the major challenges and opportunities shaping South Africa’s foreign policy and explore options for strengthening its role in Africa and the world.

Join the conversation.

📅 16 September 2026
🕘 09:00 – 12:30
📍 Protea Hotel Fire & Ice, Menlyn

01/09/2026

Impressions from our workshop on 'The Role of Non-State Actors in Governance: Enhancing South Africa's International Agency', which was co-hosted with the University of Johannesburg and Nottingham Trent University.

The workshop brought together researchers exploring the critical role of non-state actors in shaping governance from the bottom up, offering a timely discussion on governance, democracy, and the role of non-state actors in shaping South Africa's place in the emerging international order.

06/08/2026

As Europe faces its hottest summer on record, with thousands having died tragically, leading scientists have drawn the link to climate change; the latest heatwave in Europe has reached astronomic proportions. Ashraf Patel analyses the dynamics and broader implications.

https://igd.org.za/2026/07/31/wildfires-in-france-and-spain-reignite-climate-change-talks/

04/08/2026

The creation of secure, transparent supply chains for minerals is essential to the global energy transition and high-tech manufacturing. Forming part of India's BRICS Presidency, Philani Mthembu joins the following discussion on how BRICS can support investments and fill the infrastructure gaps important for the development of critical minerals supply chains.

The creation of secure, transparent supply chains for minerals is e...

28/07/2026

On the sidelines of the Inaugural Convention on South-South and Triangular Cooperation in Kigali, Philani Mthembu reflects on the changing international development landscape, African efforts towards greater autonomy and self sufficiency, and Rwanda's development journey.

27/07/2026

At the Inaugural Convention on South-South and Triangular Cooperation in Kigali, Philani Mthembu moderated the opening plenary on Institutional Capacity Building for South-South and Triangular Cooperation. See the summary of the discussion below.

21/07/2026

In March 2023, President Xi Jinping introduced the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI), emphasizing respect for the diversity of civilizations. This vision was echoed on June 10, 2025, with the first United Nations International Day for Dialogue Among Civilizations, designed to promote understanding in an era marked by division and mistrust.

With this in mind, the Institute for Global Dialogue and the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in South Africa hosted a seminar on the Global Civilization Initiative to better understand its role in a changing geopolitical landscape. It also sought to understand to what extent it aligns with the aspirations of Africa and the global South as they seek to advance the development of their countries and citizens.

15/07/2026

In the following analysis, Ashraf Patel argues that the Vatican’s egalitarian approach to AI is in sharp contrast to that of Big Tech titan Elon Musk, who has become the world’s first trillionaire with yet another IPO listing. He outlines how the Pope’s Encyclical compares to diverse responses from global civilisational powers.
https://igd.org.za/2026/06/26/pope-leos-vision-for-ai-bridging-humanity-and-the-global-south/

29/06/2026

Africa and the world entered a brave new world in 2026, with multiple wars around energy and oil that have constrained supply chains and led to a grave cost-of-living crisis in the Global South. Examining the France-Africa Summit in Nairobi, Ashraf Patel argues that it is time for critical reflection on whether the various summits and conferences are contributing or stalling Africa’s development pathways.
https://igd.org.za/2026/06/26/france-africa-summit-a-new-era-or-just-more-of-the-same/

24/06/2026

[RECORDING] In March 2023, President Xi Jinping introduced the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI), emphasizing respect for the diversity of civilizations. This vision was echoed on June 10, 2025, with the first United Nations International Day for Dialogue Among Civilizations, designed to promote understanding in an era marked by division and mistrust.

With this in mind, the Institute for Global Dialogue and the Chinese Embassy in South Africa hosted a seminar on the Global Civilization Initiative in an effort to better understand what role it could play in a changing geopolitical landscape. It also interrogated to what extent the Global Civilization Initiative aligns with the aspirations of Africa and the global South as they seek to advance the development of their countries and citizens.

China’s Global Civilization Initiative (GCI) in a Changing Geopolit...