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Mills Soko

Associate Professor, Graduate School of Business, University of Cape Town

Mills Soko earned his undergraduate degree in Social Sciences from the University of Cape Town (UCT) in 1992. Soon thereafter he worked for a year as a research assistant with UCT’s Equal Opportunities Research Project. From 1994 to 1995 he was employed by the Institute for Democracy in South Africa as a researcher on parliamentary affairs, monitoring and preparing reports on the work of parliamentary committees in South Africa’s first democratic national legislature.

In 1996, he joined the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) – the upper house of the South African Parliament – as a researcher to the Select Committee on Trade and Industry, Foreign Affairs, and Public Enterprises. During this period he completed a Master’s degree in International Studies through the University of Stellenbosch. This was followed by his appointment as Head of Policy and Legislative Research in the NCOP, where he oversaw and coordinated the work of committee researchers.

Subsequently he resumed his academic studies and obtained a Master’s degree in International Political Economy from the University of Warwick. In 2004, he completed a doctoral thesis on the political economy of trade policy reform in post-apartheid South Africa at the same university.

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...

Book on Steinhoff's demise shows danger of 'big men' business leaders

Nov 14, 2018 11:55 am UTC| Insights & Views Life

The collapse of Steinhoff International, the multi-billion dollar global business group, has been rightly described as the biggest corporate scandal in South African history. The companys history, and its subsequent...

Development in Africa is on a firm footing – here's how to take it to the next level

Dec 22, 2016 05:07 am UTC| Insights & Views Economy

The end of 2016 provides an opportunity to take stock of Africas recent economic performance and future prospects. Its been a tumultuous year for some African countries largely due to a commodities crisis and a global...

Economy

Supertanker Orders Surge as US-Iran War Reshapes Oil Trade

Shipowners are ordering supertankers at the fastest pace in at least 25 years as the US-Iran war disrupts traditional oil routes and increases demand for long-distance crude shipments. Signal Group data shows 217 Very...

Yemen Fighting Threatens Red Sea Oil Routes

Escalating fighting in Yemen is forcing civilians to flee across the Red Sea while raising fresh concerns over global oil supplies as the wider Middle East conflict spreads to critical energy routes. More than 100,000...

European Stocks Rally After Fed Hike, Iran Peace Hopes

European stocks rallied on Thursday as investors welcomed the Federal Reserves first interest rate increase in more than three years while signs of potential diplomatic progress in the Middle East boosted market sentiment....

US Stock Futures Rally as Markets Digest Fed Rate Hike

U.S. stock futures climbed sharply on Thursday as investors reassessed the Federal Reserves first interest rate increase in more than three years and Treasury yields retreated from recent highs. SP 500 and Dow Jones...

East Germany Narrows Economic Gap With West but Wealth Divide Persists

More than three decades after German reunification, the economy of former East Germany has made major progress toward matching the west, particularly in employment and household income. However, significant differences...

Politics

Japan, U.S. Discuss $19 Billion GlobalFoundries Chip Plant

Japan and the United States are discussing plans to build a major semiconductor factory under their $550 billion investment agreement, with GlobalFoundries Inc. potentially operating the facility, according to a report...

Trump Threatens EU Tariffs Over Canada Membership Proposal

U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to impose steep tariffs on the European Union if Brussels moves ahead with a proposal to make Canada the blocs first associate member, raising the prospect of renewed trade...

ICE Agent Arrested in Minneapolis Over Venezuelan Man Shooting

A federal immigration officer accused of shooting and wounding a Venezuelan man during a Minneapolis immigration operation was arrested Wednesday, eight months after the incident became a focal point of controversy...

Paris Talks Focus on Lebanon Army Needs as UNIFIL Exit Looms

European and Arab military chiefs are set to meet in Paris on Thursday to assess the Lebanese Armed Forces military and financial needs as concerns grow over the planned withdrawal of U.N. peacekeepers and the risk of...

US-China Experts Push AI Nuclear Safeguards to Prevent Military Escalation

U.S. and Chinese security experts are calling for stronger safeguards on military artificial intelligence, warning that autonomous AI systems could trigger a dangerous escalation between the two nuclear powers if their...

Science

Blue Origin New Glenn Explosion Could Delay Launch Operations Until 2028

Blue Origin is facing a significant setback after a dramatic explosion involving its New Glenn rocket severely damaged a launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida. According to NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, repairs to the...

Blue Origin New Glenn Rocket Explodes During Launch Pad Test, Delaying Space Ambitions

Blue Origin suffered a major setback after its uncrewed New Glenn rocket exploded during a launch pad test in Florida on Thursday, raising new challenges for Jeff Bezos space company as it competes with Elon Musks SpaceX...

SpaceX Delays Starship V3 Launch Ahead of Potential Record IPO

SpaceX on Thursday postponed the highly anticipated launch of its 12th Starship rocket test from Texas after technical issues interrupted the final countdown. The company now plans to attempt the Starship V3 launch again...

Trump Administration Releases New UFO Files and Apollo Mission Records

The U.S. Defense Department has released dozens of previously classified UFO-related files following an order from President Donald Trump, sparking renewed debate over unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) and government...

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...

Technology

France Urges Faster AI Push Despite Safety Risks

French Finance Minister Roland Lescure has pushed back against calls to slow artificial intelligence development, arguing that such proposals could benefit U.S. technology leaders while making it harder for France and...

Guterres Urges Stronger Global AI Safeguards Ahead of UN Assembly

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned world leaders on Wednesday that the rapid development of artificial intelligence carries significant risks that governments cannot afford to overlook, highlighting a...

Databricks to Invest $350 Million in Singapore AI Expansion

Databricks plans to invest more than $350 million in Singapore over the next three years, expanding its presence in the city-state as demand rises for its data and artificial intelligence products. The privately held data...

SK Hynix, Intel Discuss U.S. Memory Chip Production Deal

SK Hynix is reportedly in discussions with Intel over a potential agreement to manufacture memory chips in the United States, a move that would mark the South Korean semiconductor giants first U.S.-based memory production....

DOJ Will Investigate AI-Related Crimes, Attorney General Blanche Says

U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche said the Department of Justice will investigate individuals or companies connected to artificial intelligence when there is evidence they have violated federal criminal law, while...