Regional Integration, Sustainable Development and Global Value Chains in Southern Africa

This briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the role of Regional Value Chains (RVCs) and Global Value Chains (GVCs) in promoting sustainable development and regional integration in Southern Africa, highlighting South Africa's central role in providing intermediate goods to neighboring countries.

• Southern Africa represents 40% of the total participation in Global Value Chains (GVCs) across Africa. While most foreign value added in African exports originates from outside the continent, South Africa contributes more than 10% of intermediate goods to Zimbabwe, Zambia, Swaziland, Namibia, and Botswana.
• Regional Value Chains (RVCs) operate in several sectors in Southern Africa: automotive products are exported from South Africa and then returned; textile products are sent to South Africa by SACU members before being exported globally; and SACU countries export soap, plastic, cocoa, and dairy products to South Africa.
• To enhance regional integration, there is a need to develop non-tariff measures that reflect national development objectives and harmonised standards without becoming non-tariff barriers (NTBs). Additionally, RVCs can serve as an entry point for smaller countries to facilitate upgrading before entering GVCs.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2016). Regional Integration, Sustainable Development and Global Value Chains in Southern Africa. https://saiia.org.za/saiia-toolkit/regional-integration-sustainable-development-and-global-value-chains-in-southern-africa/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Regional Integration, Sustainable Development and Global Value Chains in Southern Africa. 2016. https://saiia.org.za/saiia-toolkit/regional-integration-sustainable-development-and-global-value-chains-in-southern-africa/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Regional Integration, Sustainable Development and Global Value Chains in Southern Africa |date=2 June 2016 |url=https://saiia.org.za/saiia-toolkit/regional-integration-sustainable-development-and-global-value-chains-in-southern-africa/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2016regional, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Regional Integration, Sustainable Development and Global Value Chains in Southern Africa}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2016}, month = jun, url = {https://saiia.org.za/saiia-toolkit/regional-integration-sustainable-development-and-global-value-chains-in-southern-africa/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }