Global trends that will shape South Africa's economy in the future

Book excerpt: Academic Paper from the year 2019 in the subject Economics - Macro-economics, general, grade: A, Kenyatta University, language: English, abstract: This report identifies global megatrends, which have the capacity to significantly influence the core responsibilities of South African government, such as economic prosperity, security, social cohesion, and environmental sustainability. The world is currently experiencing rapid changes in both developed and developing economies. Technology is fastening interconnectedness of people globally while also disrupting long-held assumptions regarding national boundaries. Never in the history of humankind has the information been so instantaneously accessible and communication possible regardless of one’s location on the globe. Furthermore, wealth and prosperity is now spanning many geographic boundaries and civilizations from West to East and from the Northern hemisphere to Southern. In addition, climate change has also become a major global concern in the midst of the rising frequency and magnitude of extreme weather events, such as floods and violent storms. Professor Milo Jones highlights that geopolitical issues will also have a major claim to the future of global economies. For instance, recent reports already indicate that the world is entering a post-Western era with China and India reemerging as global political and economic powers. While acknowledging these changes, it is vital that specific national governments understand these megatrends and how they might affect the country in the years to come. It is also important to note that the impact of these global trends affects countries differently while some of them like climate change is expected to continue for the foreseeable future.