A project report submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Management (Finance and Investment) in the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management Wits Business School, University of the Witwatersrand, 2016 / It is well acknowledged that infrastructure provision is linked to economic growth , in particular airports are viewed a strategic catalysts to this growth bringing about increased opportunities for trade, tourism, and serving as an enabler for business. African airports have historically suffered underinvestment as a result of competing priorities for government funding; growing safety concerns, increased traffic growth and globalisation, and the need for refurbishment and modernisation of systems. African nations are now beginning to spend considerable amounts on aviation infrastructure. The purpose of this study evaluate the financing mechanisms available to governments, to access the role that airport economic regulation plays in attracting investment and the potential of leveraging the securitisation model for the financing of aviation infrastructure. It was found that, no one funding mechanism is king and that airport owners and operators should attempt a diversification strategy towards their funding sources, taking into account that the investment appetite of various investors will be different at the various phases of infrastructure project delivery. It was found that airport regulation is key to harnessing the certainly of future cash flows required by private investors , and may be the required mechanism to off load the financial burden of smaller airports from the government budgets. Lastly it was found that development finance institutions may be the biggest benefactors to utilising the securitisation model to unlock further developmental funding; key to this is the support of institutional investors. / XL2018

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. Johannesburg, 2016 / According to UNAIDS, there are ~36.9 million people infected with HIV-1 in the world. Of those, 25.8 million live in sub-Saharan Africa and 6.8 million in South Africa. HIV-1 subtype C accounts for over 95% of HIV infections in South Africa. HIV-1 retrovirus acquires mutations rapidly because of the viral reverse transcriptase. Naturally occurring polymorphisms distinguishing wild type C-SA PR from other proteases make it less susceptible to inhibitors. E35D↑G↑S is a C-SA PR variant with a double insertion in the flap region of the protease. The insertions and background mutations may decrease susceptibility to inhibitors as well as alter kinetic parameters due to increased flap flexibility. This study intended to characterise the effect of the mutations and insertions in E35D↑G↑S on structural, kinetic activity and drug susceptibility. Chemically-synthesised E35D↑G↑S autocatalyses rapidly, impeding further characterisation. There was no detectable overexpression of the E35D↑G↑S protease in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3)pLysS and Rosetta 2® cells. If the protease is catalytically enhanced, attributed cytotoxicity may prevent overexpression of the protein. Increased autocatalytic activity could also prevent crystallisation. Inactive E35D↑G↑S D25A did not overexpress either, indicating that codon harmonisation with the expression host ought to be performed. C-SA PR was shown to be a predominantly beta-sheeted protein using circular dichroism spectroscopy. The KM of the fluorogenic substrate resembling the capsid/ p2 cleavage site for C-SA PR was 22.02 ±4.09 μM. The specific activity, catalytic turnover and catalytic efficiency of the wild-type C-SA PR protease were found to be 35.68 ±1.06 μmole.min-1.mg-1, 12.79 ±0.38 s-1 and 1.17 ±0.055 s-1.μM-1, respectively. The thermodynamics of binding of atazanavir, ritonavir and darunavir to C-SA PR were determined using isothermal titration calorimetry. The binding of atazanavir and ritonavir to C-SA PR is entropically driven and enthalpically opposed. However, the binding of darunavir to C-SA PR was found to be both entropically and enthalpically favourable. The dissociation constants of the inhibitors in the absence of substrate (Kd) are in the pico-molar range and increased by approximately one order of magnitude when saturating concentrations of substrate were introduced. Atazanavir, ritonavir and darunavir have dissociation constants (Kd) of 160.56 ±54.59 pM, 113.34 ±46.47 pM and 10.24 ±6.02 pM, respectively. Darunavir binds significantly tighter. Keywords: C-SA PR, E35D↑G↑S, insertion mutations, protease, autocatalysis, ITC.

A Research report submitted to the Faculty of Humanities in partial fulfilment of the requirements for obtaining the degree of Masters in International Relations, 2016 / International attention to the issue of girls’ education has grown dramatically over the past several decades. Gender parity and equality in education has become a significant global development priority. The Dakar Framework for Action (DFA), which set the agenda for achieving Education for All (EFA) commitments by 2015, and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which were aimed at the reduction of global poverty, also by 2015, serve as the main policy blueprints with respect to the global agenda for achieving gender equality in education. Despite widespread acceptance that states ought to decrease gender disparities in education, progress with respect to achieving the related DFA and MDG goals has varied between states. Although sub-Saharan Africa continues to lag far behind other regions, there are some countries in the region that have achieved better results than others. This variation in outcomes raises pertinent questions about the constitutive influence and diffusion of norms at the national level. This research report seeks to identify the mechanisms that determine the constitutive effects of the norm vis-à-vis gender parity in education in the context of sub-Saharan Africa. Using the Gambia and Chad as case studies, the study tests whether domestic political structures and domestic norms have a significant impact on norm diffusion processes at the national level, as well as how these factors will predict the pathways for diffusion and, ultimately, the constitutive effects of the norm. The study begins by tracing the evolution and documenting the existence of a global norm with respect to gender parity in education. The norm’s emergence is shown to correlate with changes in policy and practice amongst African states at both the regional and national level; however, there remains significant differences amongst states with regards to their performance in relation to gender parity targets/goals. The central finding of the study is that domestic political structures and domestic norms explain this variation between countries and predict the key drivers of normative change. In the cases of Gambia and Chad specifically, the extent of civil society participation has significantly determined the countries’ performance with respect to gender parity in education goals. / MT2017

Thesis (doctoral)--Universität, Münster (Westfalen), 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 247-[256]).

At face value, foreign aid is generally extended either to contain crises situations or promote development. In Africa, it appears that foreign aid has failed on both counts. One crucial question being asked by experts is, why has there been so little development in sub-Saharan Africa despite so much aid? Indeed, even the World Bank has admitted grudgingly that assistance programs have been either ineffectual or had very small development impact on recipient countries. This study seeks to examine foreign aid effectiveness and management. Focusing on the nature of the relationships between donors and recipients, the study argues that to foster economic development in Africa, a need exists for a transformation in aid relations away from fragmented donor-driven projects and programs to a predictable long-term support to African owned programs. The work addresses these challenges by reviewing current debates and analysis of new forms, instruments, promises, and direction of development cooperation. Donor discourses, which are on ownership, partnership, less conditionalities, and more empowerment, are not always followed in practice. In fact, the objective reality is that foreign aid donors usually target an assortment of aid instruments at diverse objectives. That notwithstanding, foreign aid (generally) can only be effective in achieving the objectives set by donors when it is planned, structured, and implemented in partnership with aid recipients. Clearly, the nature of the relationships between donors and recipients has a critical influence on the effectiveness of development aid. So far, the current aid experience is that the relationship between African governments and their aid donors is characterized by a vast inequality. As such, this study takes the position that there is no viable alternative to Africans taking effective charge of their destiny and deliberately creating conditions that are essential for effecting desirable change in the region's fortunes. It also takes the position that Africa's development partners such as the international financial institutions should actively seek to create and nurture the space needed by Africans for the realization of their developmental goals / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2003.

At face value, foreign aid is generally extended either to contain crises situations or promote development. In Africa, it appears that foreign aid has failed on both counts. One crucial question being asked by experts is, why has there been so little development in sub-Saharan Africa despite so much aid? Indeed, even the World Bank has admitted grudgingly that assistance programs have been either ineffectual or had very small development impact on recipient countries. This study seeks to examine foreign aid effectiveness and management. Focusing on the nature of the relationships between donors and recipients, the study argues that to foster economic development in Africa, a need exists for a transformation in aid relations away from fragmented donor-driven projects and programs to a predictable long-term support to African owned programs. The work addresses these challenges by reviewing current debates and analysis of new forms, instruments, promises, and direction of development cooperation. Donor discourses, which are on ownership, partnership, less conditionalities, and more empowerment, are not always followed in practice. In fact, the objective reality is that foreign aid donors usually target an assortment of aid instruments at diverse objectives. That notwithstanding, foreign aid (generally) can only be effective in achieving the objectives set by donors when it is planned, structured, and implemented in partnership with aid recipients. Clearly, the nature of the relationships between donors and recipients has a critical influence on the effectiveness of development aid. So far, the current aid experience is that the relationship between African governments and their aid donors is characterized by a vast inequality. As such, this study takes the position that there is no viable alternative to Africans taking effective charge of their destiny and deliberately creating conditions that are essential for effecting desirable change in the region's fortunes. It also takes the position that Africa's development partners such as the international financial institutions should actively seek to create and nurture the space needed by Africans for the realization of their developmental goals. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2003.

This thesis focuses on the effects of development assistance (ODA), private foreign commercial capital (PFX), domestic savings (SAV), the openness of the economy and producer prices on agricultural output, and on export and domestic shares of agricultural output in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This study uses panel data spanning 27 countries and the period 1970 to 1993. / The production function is a Cobb-Douglas type. Static export and domestic share equations are derived from a specification of the agricultural gross domestic product function. Transformed auto-regressive distributed-lag versions of the static share models are used to investigate long-run dynamics, persistence and implementation lags in the share response model. / Agricultural output is affected as follows. ODA, PFX and SAV have small positive or negative impact depending on agricultural region or economic policy environment. The impact of openness of the economy is negative in all agricultural regions, however, there is evidence of positive effect of openness within improved policy environment. None of these effects are statistically significant. / Export share is affected as follows. ODA, PFX and SAV have small positive impact in some agricultural regions and policy environments, both in the short-run and in the long-run. PFX is not significant anywhere. ODA is significant only when countries are grouped by policy environment in the short-run. SAV is significant in the short-run only in some regions, and significant in the long-run only in others. Openness has positive impact in the short-run. This is significant in many regions. Its long-run impact is mostly positive but not significant anywhere. The impact of producer price is mostly positive but not significant. / Efforts to encourage economic activities in rural communities such as improvements in domestic terms of trade in favor of agriculture, together with the provision of infrastructure are likely to stimulate output. Strategies to diversify and process agricultural exports in the face of falling agricultural commodity prices should be pursued.

Pour la constitution de ce sujet, je suis partie du contexte de l'etude plutot que de son objet. L'Afrique m'est apparue comme un choix logique pour deux raisons principales. La premiere, d'ordre personnel, est que les personnes qui me sont les plus cheres sont, chacunes a leur maniere, proches du continent africain. Sous leur influence, j'ai developpe un interet certain pour les cultures et les problemes de l'Afrique noire. Ce penchant s'est transforme en conviction lorsque, dans les aleas de leur carriere professionnelle, mes parents ont ete mute au Mali il y a deux ans. Ce demenagement m'a permis de constater la situation de l'Afrique par quelques voyages sur le continent. Ces experiences me permettent aujourd'hui affirmer que l'Afrique occupe une part importante de ma vie et de mes centres d'interet. / La seconde raison a l'origine de ce devoir: Je pense qu'en adoptant une demarche critique vis-a-vis des rapports socioculturels, je pourrais construire un environnement intellectuel stimulant qui contribuerait a remettre en question nombre de presupposes que l'on tient trop souvent pour vrais et definitifs. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

<p>This thesis employed a panel data of 36 countries from sub-Saharan Africa over the period 1996-2000 to examine the impact of governance on foreign direct investment flows. Within the governance variable there are six sub-indices which are the rule of law, political stability, control of corruption, voice and accountability, government effectiveness, and regulatory quality. The estimates show that political stability, regulatory quality and accountability have a positive impact on foreign direct investment, while corruption, government ineffectiveness, and lack of rule of law do not affect foreign direct investment. The conclusion drawn from this research was that besides market size, trade openness, human capital, macroeconomic stability and physical infrastructure, governance plays a great role in attracting foreign direct investment into the sub-region.</p>

<p>This thesis employed a panel data of 36 countries from sub-Saharan Africa over the period 1996-2000 to examine the impact of governance on foreign direct investment flows. Within the governance variable there are six sub-indices which are the rule of law, political stability, control of corruption, voice and accountability, government effectiveness, and regulatory quality. The estimates show that political stability, regulatory quality and accountability have a positive impact on foreign direct investment, while corruption, government ineffectiveness, and lack of rule of law do not affect foreign direct investment. The conclusion drawn from this research was that besides market size, trade openness, human capital, macroeconomic stability and physical infrastructure, governance plays a great role in attracting foreign direct investment into the sub-region.</p>