Focus South Africa

http://www.fes.org.za/pubsmain.php?docid=65

Publisher: Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung South Africa

With its work in South Africa, the Friedrich Ebert Foundation supports the process of political, social and economic transformation thereby wishing to contribute towards reinforcing democracy in the largest country of Southern Africa. The Johannesburg office runs the extensive and co-ordinated co-operation programme made up of the following five fields of activity:

1. Support of democracy
The Friedrich Ebert Foundation supports political institutions in fulfilling their constitutional objectives in a democratic state. Our main partners are the ANC, committees of both chambers of the National Parliament, as well as the Provincial Parliaments of Gauteng, Eastern Cape and Western Cape. With them a large number of policy development, dialogue and educational programmes are initiated and run.

2. Trade Unions
The work of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation aims at strengthening the organisational and political capacity of South African unions. Major focus is on capacity building activities to represent workers¹ interest in internal as well as sectoral spheres and to develop analytical and policy development skills. Furthermore, the South African trade unions shall become part of economic and socio-political networks on national and international levels.

3. Political dialogue
By supporting the political dialogue between the state and organisations of civil society FES strengthens the communication process. Core element of our work in this field is the support of public debates on developments concerning the political and social transformation in the country.

4. Foreign and security policies
In co-operation with various research institutes dealing with foreign and security policies FES supports panel discussions on regional integration in Southern Africa. Furthermore, partner organisations are assisted in developing concepts and strategies on current international affairs.

5. Economic and social policies
FES supports dialogue between various actors from politics, civil society and science on the future design of South African economic and social policies. These policies must comply with the political and economic transformation and must be widely accepted by civil society. Our main partners are the Economic Transformation Committee of the ANC, the Parliamentarian Committees for Finance, Social Policies, Trade and Industry as well as several networks of civil society and research institutes.

Focus South Africa appears in a series according to current political and economic events. It aims a providing background reports and analysis of the current political, economic and social developments.

Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung
P.O. Box 412664
Craighall Park
2024

Tel: +27-11 341 0270
Fax: +27-11 341 0271
Email: fessa@fessa.co.za

Content freely accessible in PDF format.