SA-EU Summit 2013: Investment and Jobs in South Africa and SADC? - SAIIA

This briefing examines the economic and strategic relationship between South Africa and the European Union (EU) ahead of the 2013 EU-SA Summit, focusing on job creation, foreign direct investment (FDI), and regional integration within the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

• The European Union is South Africa's primary regional trade partner, providing three-quarters of the country's foreign direct investment stock. The European Investment Bank has invested over €2 billion as of December 2011, primarily targeting renewable energy, water, telecommunications, roads, small and medium enterprise development, and municipal infrastructure.
• The 2013 EU-SA Summit focuses on 'Job Creation through Inward Investment' amid high unemployment in both regions. In the EU, unemployment was estimated at 12.2% in May 2013, with youth unemployment exceeding 26% in many urban areas and 40% in rural regions. In the SADC region, national unemployment rates vary from 17.5% in Botswana to 70% in Zimbabwe, with South Africa's rate at 25.5% and youth unemployment estimated at over 7.5 million people (at least 60% of the unemployed).
• South Africa's foreign direct investment (FDI) saw a 24% decrease between 2011 and 2012, falling from US$6bn to US$4.57bn, a difference of US$1.43 billion according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.
• Migrant labor from the SADC region significantly impacts South Africa's economy. A February 2012 FinMark report estimated 3.3 million economically active migrants in South Africa, roughly half of whom are Zimbabweans. The total remittance market is estimated at R11.2 billion, with R6.7 billion flowing to Zimbabwe, and R7.6 billion moving through informal channels.
• South Africa aims to create 11 million jobs by 2030 through the National Development Plan (NDP), which envisions a 17-year implementation period. The government intends to shift resources toward investments that grow the economy, encouraging both public and private investment.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2013). SA-EU Summit 2013: Investment and Jobs in South Africa and SADC? - SAIIA. https://saiia.org.za/research/sa-eu-summit-2013-investment-and-jobs-in-south-africa-and-sadc/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. SA-EU Summit 2013: Investment and Jobs in South Africa and SADC? - SAIIA. 2013. https://saiia.org.za/research/sa-eu-summit-2013-investment-and-jobs-in-south-africa-and-sadc/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=SA-EU Summit 2013: Investment and Jobs in South Africa and SADC? - SAIIA |date=17 July 2013 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/sa-eu-summit-2013-investment-and-jobs-in-south-africa-and-sadc/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2013saeu, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{SA-EU Summit 2013: Investment and Jobs in South Africa and SADC? - SAIIA}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2013}, month = jul, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/sa-eu-summit-2013-investment-and-jobs-in-south-africa-and-sadc/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }