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Mzukisi Qobo

Deputy Chair: SA Research Chair on African Diplomacy and Foreign Policy, University of Johannesburg

PhD, University of Warwick, UK

Deputy Chair, National Research Foundation Chair on Foreign Policy and African Diplomacy, University of Johannesburg
Political Economist - Africa Insights - Global Change

Dr Mzukisi Qobo is an Associate Professor at the NRF Research Chair on Foreign Policy and African Diplomacy, University of Johannesburg. He is an expert and thought leader on South Africa’s political economy, public affairs, and international relations. He is co-author of the book, "The Fall of the ANC: What Next", published by Pan Macmillan. He is currently working on a large project on Transformational Leadership. In the past he taught International Political Economy at the University of Pretoria where he was also deputy director at the Centre for the Study of Governance Innovation (Govinn). He was part of the team that developed the Gauteng Province’s International Relations Strategy. Dr Qobo has also taught and facilitated in executive programmes at Wits Business School and at GIBS, focusing on International Business and Public Policy and Regulation. Dr Qobo has also worked for the South African government, where he was Chief Director responsible for trade policy development, and drafted South Africa’s current trade policy and strategy. His research interests are global governance, political economy, and leadership.

Green energy: South Africa’s transition plan must be careful not to deepen inequality – the 3 top issues

Apr 05, 2023 13:13 pm UTC| Economy

Since the UN Climate Change Agreement was signed by 196 nations in December 2015, many countries have announced policies to reduce their fossil fuel emissions. Their commitments are set out in nationally determined...

What it will take to build a capable state in South Africa

Mar 01, 2020 12:44 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

A major factor that undermines South Africas social and economic progress is the deficit in the capabilities of the state. This gap was identified long ago by the National Planning Commission, first in its diagnostic...

The World Bank needs deep reforms to reflect a changing world order

Feb 08, 2019 12:00 pm UTC| Insights & Views Economy

The sudden resignation of World Bank President Jim Yong Kim has rekindled debate about leadership succession and the mission of the international financial institution. US president Donald Trump has nominated his...

Economy

Rising Jet Fuel Costs from Iran Conflict Push Airfare Higher Across Europe

Disruptions to global oil supplies linked to the Iran conflict are driving a sharp increase in jet fuel prices, adding significant costs to air travel across Europe. According to analysis from campaign group Transport ...

UK Wage Growth Slows to 3.6% as Inflation Pressures Complicate Bank of England Outlook

British wage growth showed signs of cooling, though not as sharply as analysts had anticipated, according to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Regular pay, which excludes bonuses, rose by 3.6%...

US-Iran Peace Talks Fuel Market Optimism Amid Ongoing Tensions

The United States has expressed renewed confidence that peace talks with Iran could resume soon in Pakistan, raising hopes of easing geopolitical tensions that have disrupted global energy markets. A senior Iranian...

Asian Currencies Stay Range-Bound as Dollar Holds Steady Ahead of Fed Nominee Hearing

Asian currencies traded within a narrow range on Tuesday as geopolitical uncertainty surrounding potential U.S.-Iran peace talks kept investors cautious. With a temporary ceasefire set to expire later this week, traders...

Gold Prices Slip Amid Iran Tensions and Fed Chair Uncertainty

Gold prices edged lower during Asian trading on Tuesday as investors weighed geopolitical risks and monetary policy uncertainty. The precious metal remains range-bound, with traders closely monitoring developments...

Politics

Pakistan Halts $1.5 Billion Sudan Arms Deal After Saudi Arabia Withdraws Support

Pakistan has reportedly paused a $1.5 billion defense deal to supply weapons and fighter jets to Sudan after Saudi Arabia withdrew financial backing and urged Islamabad to abandon the agreement. According to Pakistani...

UN Secretary-General Race 2027: Key Candidates Competing to Replace Antonio Guterres

The race to select the next United Nations Secretary-General is gaining momentum as global leaders position themselves for the top diplomatic role. The 10th UN chief will assume office on January 1, 2027, for a five-year...

Philippines Says U.S. Access to EDCA Bases Limited by Land Issues and Delays

Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro has revealed that the use of military bases accessible to the United States under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) remains limited, citing unresolved land...

Trump Maintains Iran Naval Blockade as Ceasefire Deadline Nears

U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the naval blockade against Iran will remain in force until a formal agreement is reached with Tehran, adding uncertainty ahead of a looming ceasefire deadline later this week. In...

Gaza Violence Continues Despite Ceasefire as Israeli Strikes and Clashes Escalate

Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip killed at least five Palestinians on Monday, according to Palestinian health officials, highlighting ongoing violence despite a fragile ceasefire agreement. The incidents occurred in...

Science

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

NASA Artemis II: First Crewed Moon Mission Since Apollo Takes Four Astronauts on 10-Day Lunar Journey

NASAs Artemis II mission launched Wednesday, marking humanitys return to crewed lunar exploration for the first time since the Apollo era. Carrying four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft, this historic 10-day mission...

NASA's Artemis II Mission: First Crewed Lunar Journey Since Apollo

NASA's Artemis II Crew Arrives in Florida for Historic Moon Mission

The four astronauts chosen for NASAs Artemis II mission have touched down at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking the beginning of final launch preparations for the first crewed lunar journey in over 50 years. NASA...

SpaceX Pivots Toward Moon City as Musk Reframes Long-Term Space Vision

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has revealed a significant shift in the companys near-term space exploration strategy, announcing that SpaceX is now prioritizing the development of a self-growing city on the Moon rather than focusing...

Technology

SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell Earns $85.8M as IPO Buzz Grows

SpaceX President and Chief Operating Officer Gwynne Shotwell earned $85.8 million in total compensation last year, according to details from the companys S-1 filing, positioning her among the highest-paid executives in the...

John Ternus Signals Apple’s Future with Product-First AI Strategy

Apples incoming CEO John Ternus is already shaping expectations for the companys future, and his stance on artificial intelligence reveals a clear direction. Unlike competitors such as Microsoft and Google, which are...

Jeff Bezos Eyes $10 Billion Funding Round for AI Venture Project Prometheus

Jeff Bezos is reportedly closing in on a massive fundraising deal for his artificial intelligence startup, signaling a major move in the rapidly expanding AI industry. According to a Financial Times report citing sources...

Apple Stock Dips as Tim Cook Steps Down, John Ternus Named Next CEO

Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) shares slipped more than 1% in after-hours trading Monday following a surprising leadership transition announcement. The tech giant revealed that longtime CEO Tim Cook will move into the role of...

Amazon Expands AI Bet with Up to $25 Billion Investment in Anthropic

Amazon is significantly deepening its artificial intelligence strategy by announcing a new investment of $5 billion in AI firm Anthropic, with the potential to reach up to $25 billion based on performance milestones. This...