The AU’s Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) has an ambitious agenda to connect and integrate the continent through hard and soft infrastructure. The current PIDA Priority Action Plan 2 (PIDA PAP 2) prioritises 69 regional project …

This paper analyses inward foreign direct investment (FDI) trends in SADC countries with the purpose of informing the SADC Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap (SISR) and its ongoing implementation. It first examines the SISR and the role of private …

This paper provides a primarily qualitative analysis of sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) on the African continent. It explores SWF mandates, including macro-economic management, savings and development, and their ability to combat the so-called resource c …

This paper maps SADC countries’ readiness for the Fourth Industrial Revolution from a strategic policy perspective. It focuses specifically on the digital connectivity and skills components of the 4IR, given their role in creating an enabling environme …

This paper seeks to examine the challenges and opportunities soybean producers (who are primarily smallholders) encounter in linking competitively to end markets in Malawi and Zambia, while making comparisons with South Africa’s more developed industry …

Investment in infrastructure has long been recognised as an important mechanism for fostering economic growth and development. With an estimated $130 billion annual deficit in infrastructure investment, Africa is in dire need of such investment. Howeve …

This policy briefing seeks to explore the potential for developing a domestic sunflower value chain (VC) in Malawi. It examines the different but interconnected roles that various stages of the VC play in driving the sunflower industry as a whole in Ma …

Following the 38th Southern African Development Community (SADC) Summit which took place on 17-18 August 2018 in Namibia, questions around the region’s economic integration and development progress arose once more. Over the past year, much attention ha …

Infrastructure development, as an enabler of economic growth and catalyst for poverty alleviation, is an integral part of the economic development agenda of most African countries. New estimates by the African Development Bank suggest that the continen …

Six SADC member states negotiated an economic partnership agreement (EPA) with the EU. This sub-group of SADC – the SADC EPA group – consisted of South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, Swaziland and Mozambique. The agreement was signed on 10 June 20 …

Infrastructure development, as an enabler of economic growth and catalyst for poverty alleviation, is an integral part of the economic development agenda of most African developing countries. New estimates by the African Development Bank suggest that t …

The EU–SADC economic partnership agreement (EPA) came into force in October 2016 and offers South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland, Namibia and Mozambique a number of tariff preferences in the EU market. These preferences become more significant th …

Growing awareness of the negative environmental and social (E&S) externalities of large infrastructure projects has driven sustainability considerations to the top of infrastructure financing debates in developing countries. While many external financi …

This paper explores the way in which various actors cooperate in effectively implementing environmental and social safeguards measures on infrastructure projects financed by multilateral development banks (MDBs). It first sets the policy context, which …

Most countries consider infrastructure development as a key enabler of development, as it spurs job creation, trade and investment. For many developing countries, multilateral development banks (MDBs) are important in addressing their infrastructure fi …

This paper analyses investment in transport infrastructure in Tanzania, in terms of its ability to foster regional economic integration and drive sustainable economic growth that spills over into local communities. It first examines the relevant legisl …

“This paper analyses South Africa’s relationship with sustainable inward foreign direct investment (FDI). It examines South Africa’s balancing act of promoting FDI that brings inclusive economic development while remaining an attractive FDI destination …

Low-income countries (LICs) in subSaharan Africa face a substantial infrastructure-financing gap. Multilateral development banks (MDBs) have traditionally played an important role in mobilising finance for infrastructure in LICs, but their funding alon …

This paper examines the role of the African Development Fund (ADF) in its efforts to support African low-income countries (LICs) in meeting their infrastructure financing needs. African LICs currently face tremendous infrastructure financing gaps, but …

“The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Industrialisation Cooperation (AICO) scheme created an opportunity for both foreign investors in the ASEAN region and member states to benefit from the regional free flow of goods in support of region …