Since 1994, South African firms have emerged as some of the largest investors in the rest of Africa. Present in a wide range of sectors across the continent, they have been involved in changing not only Africa's cityscapes, but also, significantly, the conduct of business in the region. This volume draws together authors from different parts of the world who are keenly intersted in the development of Africa's private sector. Based in part on the research that the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) has conducted on the experiences of South African companies in the nine countries across the continent, the volume takes as its standpoint the view that sustainable development in Africa can only be achieved if the private sector is allowed to flourish. Highlighting the importance of public-private partnerships in achieving this vision, it offers recommendations on how to strengthen the private sector in Africa for policy makers interested in the continent's development.

Canada and the Middle East: In Theory and Practice provides a unique perspective on one of the world's most geopolitically important regions. From the perspective of Canada's diplomats, academics and former policy practitioners involved in the region, the book offers an overview of Canada's relationship with the Middle East and the challenges Canada faces there. The contributors examine Canada's efforts to promote its interests and values -- peace building, peacekeeping, multiculturalism, and multilateralism, for example -- and investigate the views of interested communities on Canada's relations with countries of the Middle East.

Despite the international recognition and praise that South Africa received in 1994 for organizing its first free and fair, multiracial presidential elections, the country continues to exhibit increasing signs of state fragility on a number of different fronts that could be traced back to the economic, social and political legacies of Apartheid. Primarily, this paper analyzes some immediate social and economic challenges facing the country in its transitional period. With the collapse of Apartheid, the country has largely achieved racial peace, but not social harmony. Although some progress has been made with regard to spurring economic growth and instituting painful macroeconomic stabilization policies, the plight of its black majority remains bleak as it had been under white rule. Unless social and economic reforms are sped up, South Africa's achievements over the past 13 years will be undermined by the brewing dissatisfaction and frustration with the government's handling of the economy and its attempts in addressing the social ills of Apartheid that still haunt it.

Haiti is a country in the midst of a political, economic, ecological and social crisis. Violence has sabotaged attempts to establish the rule of law, and state infrastructure is notably absent in much of the country, leading to an overall climate of insecurity. Haiti: Hope for a Fragile State sheds light on the varied and complex roots of the current crisis, dispels misperceptions and suggests that the situation in Haiti, despite evidence to the contrary, is not completely desperate. It brings together diverse perspectives on development, the military, history, NGOs and politics, and discusses the peacebuilding efforts of the past, suggesting ways to move forward to make Haiti a strong state.