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Alan Hirsch

Professor and Director of the Graduate School of Development Policy, University of Cape Town

I have been director of the Graduate School of Development Policy and Practice at University of Cape Town (UCT) since 2013. I was born in Cape Town and educated in Economics, Economic History and History at UCT, Wits and Columbia. After economic research and teaching at the University of Cape Town, I joined the South African Department of Trade and Industry in 1995, managing industry and technology policy. I moved to the Presidency in 2002. I managed economic policy in the South African Presidency, represented the Presidency at the G20, and was co-chair of the G20 Development Working Group. I have served or serve on several boards, and am associated with a range of policy research initiatives including the TIPS, the International Growth Centre for which I was until recently the Zambia Country Director, and the European Centre for Development Policy Management where I am a board member. I was a visiting scholar at the Harvard Business School, a regular visiting professor at the Graduate School of Governance at Maastricht University and a member of the OECD Secretary-General’s Inclusive Growth Advisory Group. I write about economic development issues, including Season of Hope - Economic Reform under Mandela and Mbeki and recently co-edited The Oxford Companion to South African Economics.

Free movement of people across Africa: regions are showing how it can work

Jan 24, 2023 07:58 am UTC| Business Economy

The end of January 2023 will mark five years since the African Union Free Movement of Persons protocol was signed by the African Union. A parallel initiative to the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, it was designed...

South Africa has a new presidential advisory unit. Will it improve policy?

May 20, 2019 22:36 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

South Africas President Cyril Ramaphosa is establishing a unit in the presidency which he hopes will improve policy development and coordination. This is an important initiative designed to help him address the huge...

The free movement of people is an AU ambition: what's standing in its way

Aug 01, 2018 14:58 pm UTC| Insights & Views

The African integration project took several major steps this year. One of them was the African Unions adoption of a protocol on the free movement of people. The move has been widely welcomed. The free movement of...

South Africa's Reserve Bank is in the eye of a storm. Academics quiz the governor

May 16, 2017 16:39 pm UTC| Insights & Views Economy Central Banks

Central banks everywhere play a critical role in shaping the direction of a countrys economy. The South African Reserve Bank is the central bank of South Africa. Its main mandates are to ensure financial and economic...

Africa is poised for sustainable growth and development. But there are risks

Jan 08, 2017 23:37 pm UTC| Insights & Views

As we know, growth accelerations are pretty commonplace among developing countries. Economist Ricardo Haussman and his colleagues identified 83 growth accelerations of eight consecutive years at 2% higher than the...

Economy

Impact of Iran-Israel conflict on Stocks, Gold and Bitcoin

Disclaimer: This is not investment advice. The information provided is for general purposes only. No information, materials, services and other content provided on this page constitute a solicitation, recommendation,...

Japan Posts 7.7% Growth in Machinery Orders

In a striking development that looks set to invigorate Japans economic prospects, a key gauge of capital spending in the country has seen its most significant jump in over a year. According to Cabinet Office data released...

How cuts to marginal income tax could boost the UK’s stagnant economic growth

The British prime minister recently claimed the UK economy has turned a corner. Rishi Sunak said inflation figures were encouraging, and proclaimed that 2024 would be the year Britain bounces back. According to his...

A sustainable future begins at ground level

In 2015, the United Nations adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a call to action in global partnership. By 2023 it appears that our progress has been far from satisfactory in achieving these...

Digital trade protocol for Africa: why it matters, what’s in it and what’s still missing

In February 2024, African heads of states adopted a draft protocol to regulate digital trade within the continent. This significant yet challenging course for Africas digital economy fits into the broader trade agreement,...

Politics

Nvidia RTX 4090D Embroiled in US-China Tech Rivalry; South Korea Navigates Chip Export Dilemma

The U.S. government has tightened export restrictions on high-performance semiconductor chips to China, including the Nvidia RTX 4090D, and is urging South Korea to enforce similar curbs, marking a significant escalation...

Canada needs a national strategy for homeless refugee claimants

One year after the federal government closed Roxham Road, refugee claims in Canada continue to increase: there were 143,785 in 2023 compared to 91,730 in 2022. The surprise announcement in March 2023 to modify Canadas...

Who will Trump pick as his running mate?

Being second in line for leadership of the most powerful country in the world is not an easy job. But for Mike Pence, vice president under Donald Trump, things were even harder than usual. As insurrectionists descended...

US and Japan Boost AI, Semiconductor Alliance; EU Eyes Reduction in China Dependence

Japan and the United States are poised to deepen ties in the high-tech sector, signaling a strategic move to enhance their global partnership with a focus on artificial intelligence and semiconductor...

US Finalizes Ban List for Chinese Chipmakers; Boosts Mexico Semiconductor Ties

The United States is finalizing a list of Chinese chip factories banned from receiving vital technology, aiming to curb Beijings tech advancements amid national security concerns. Concurrently, a US-Mexico semiconductor...

Science

Could a telescope ever see the beginning of time? An astronomer explains

The James Webb Space Telescope, or JWST for short, is one of the most advanced telescopes ever built. Planning for JWST began over 25 years ago, and construction efforts spanned over a decade. It was launched into space on...

US media coverage of new science less likely to mention researchers with African and East Asian names

When one Chinese national recently petitioned the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to become a permanent resident, he thought his chances were pretty good. As an accomplished biologist, he figured that news...

If life exists on Jupiter’s moon Europa, scientists might soon be able to detect it

Europa is one of the largest of more than 90 moons in orbit around the planet Jupiter. It is also one of the best places to look for alien life. Often termed an ocean world by scientists, observations to date strongly...

Exploding stars are rare but emit torrents of radiation − if one happened close enough to Earth, it could threaten life on the planet

Stars like the Sun are remarkably constant. They vary in brightness by only 0.1% over years and decades, thanks to the fusion of hydrogen into helium that powers them. This process will keep the Sun shining steadily for...

An eclipse for everyone – how visually impaired students can ‘get a feel for’ eclipses

Many people in the U.S. will have an opportunity to witness nearly four minutes of a total solar eclipse on Monday, April 8, 2024, as it moves from southern Texas to Maine. But in the U.S., over 7 million people are blind...

Technology

Tesla Cybertruck Recall: NHTSA Flags 3,878 Units for Pedal Issue

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has ordered a recall for Teslas Cybertruck, citing a severe pedal issue that necessitated temporarily halting deliveries to address potential safety...

ShibArmy Issues Critical Alert: No BONE Airdrops, Beware of Scams

The Shiba Inu community is on high alert as ShibArmy Scam Alerts warns against phishing emails falsely promising BONE airdrops. These fraudulent communications are designed to steal personal information and digital assets...

Michael Saylor Nets $370 Million from MicroStrategy Shares Amid Crypto Surge

Michael Saylor, the prominent bitcoin advocate and chairman of MicroStrategy, has capitalized on the companys robust stock performance this year, selling shares worth nearly $370 million. His strategic stock sales coincide...

Bitcoin Braces for $35 Trillion Market Shift With Upcoming Halving

As Bitcoin approaches its pivotal fourth halving today, experts forecast a dramatic surge in value, potentially reaching a $35 trillion market cap. This significant reduction in Bitcoin mining rewards from 6.25 to 3.125...

Shiba Inu Coin Shows Signs of Recovery: Factors Fueling Its Recent Rise

Shiba Inu, the self-proclaimed Dogecoin killer, stoked investor excitement today, April 19, as its price resumed upward. As the broader crypto market prepares for the impending BTC halving, the crypto market had a price...