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The Climate Adaptation Notes (CAN) is a proposed funding mechanism designed to increase private, commercial bank, and institutional investment in water and wastewater infrastructure projects across sub-Saharan Africa by combining short-term construction financing with long-term asset-based funding.

This research paper by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the necessary adaptations for South Africa's trade policy following the COVID-19 pandemic. It advocates for a revised Trade Policy Strategic Framework that emphasizes regional integration through the AfCFTA and SACU, a strategic redesign of South Africa's role within the WTO, and the diversification of global trading partnerships to ensure economic resilience in the 2020s.

This research paper explores the potential for establishing a Southern African Customs Union (SACU) development fund to deepen regional integration and mitigate trade constraints. By analyzing the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESI Funds), the CARICOM Development Fund (CDF), and the Eurasian Fund for Stabilization and Development (EFSD), the author provides recommendations on capitalization, governance, and project prioritization to move SACU beyond its current role of simple revenue sharing.

This executive summary outlines a study on the potential of Global Value Chains (GVCs) to drive growth, diversification, and job creation within the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) region, specifically focusing on increasing non-commodity exports and manufacturing value addition.

This research paper by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) analyzes the potential implications for South Africa if the World Trade Organization's (WTO) Doha Development Agenda (DDA) were to reach a conclusion. It examines the political economy of the negotiations, focusing on the 'market access agenda' across three core areas: agriculture, non-agricultural market access (NAMA), and services. The authors argue that because the 'exchange rate' between NAMA and agriculture favors developed nations, South Africa's best strategy for a successful outcome would be to preserve its NAMA carve-out and seek greater agricultural liberalisation from developed countries, while offering more concessions in the services sector, specifically in telecommunications, transport, and energy.

This research paper by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) examines the crisis facing the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) as it celebrates its centenary. The author analyzes how Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) negotiations with the European Union and a shrinking revenue pool have threatened the organization's stability, potentially leading to its downgrade from a customs union to a free trade area. The paper combines general analysis with questionnaire results from policymakers in South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, and Angola to explore the divergent interests of member states regarding revenue sharing, industrial policy, and regional integration.

This report documents a workshop held on August 31, 2010, regarding the impact of global financial reforms—specifically the G20's push for Basel III—on trade in financial services within the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The discussions highlight the dominance of South Africa as a net exporter of financial services in the region and the potential for new regulatory barriers to emerge as South Africa implements global standards, which may reduce funding for riskier African prospects and infrastructure projects.

This research paper by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) details a scenario-planning exercise conducted in May 2010 to explore the future of the Southern African Customs Union (SACU). The authors identify key certainties and uncertainties—such as the impact of the global financial crisis and Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) negotiations—to project four potential futures for the organization, ranging from deeper integration to total collapse.

This research paper by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) examines the transport services sector within the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), focusing on the need for harmonisation and liberalisation across road, rail, maritime, and air transport to enhance regional economic integration and global competitiveness.

This 2009 briefing analyzes Namibia's agricultural sector and food security strategies. It highlights that while Namibia faced rising food prices, a conservative pricing agreement between producers and millers mitigated the impact. The report details the country's reliance on subsistence farming for 1.5 million people and the government's efforts to increase food security through irrigation (the Green Scheme), import controls on staples and horticulture, and targeted subsidies for communal farmers. It also discusses Namibia's trade position within SACU, SADC, and the WTO, emphasizing its status as a net food-importing developing country.

This report examines the role of sustainable development within the regional trade agreements (RTAs) of the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), arguing that market access alone is insufficient to alleviate poverty and that a comprehensive sustainable development agenda is necessary to balance economic growth with social and environmental conservation.

This report examines the integration of sustainable development into the regional and bilateral trade arrangements of the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), comprising South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho, and Swaziland. It analyzes the tension between trade liberalization and national development goals, the impact of the SACU Revenue Sharing Formula, and the outcomes of various Free Trade Agreements (FTAs). The study concludes that most trade deals focus almost exclusively on market access, neglecting social and environmental pillars of sustainable development.

This research paper examines the potential for a free trade agreement (FTA) between the Southern African Customs Union (Sacu) and India, arguing that the agreement is likely to be 'commercially shallow' due to low non-gold trade volumes, competing industrial interests, and India's strategic prioritization of Asia.

This briefing provides a synopsis of discussions from a November 2007 workshop hosted by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) regarding Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) and logistics-related obstacles to trade in Southern Africa.

This trade policy briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) examines the political economy of the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), focusing on the transition from a model of South African dominance to the consensus-based 'open regionalism' established by the 2002 agreement.

This briefing records a discussion by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) on the potential for a trade agreement between the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) and China. It examines China's economic rise, the complementary nature of the two economies, and the political tensions within SACU regarding job losses in light industry versus the welfare gains of cheaper imports.

This report analyzes the potential for the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) to increase goods exports to the United States by transitioning from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) to a formal Free Trade Agreement (FTA). It concludes that while an FTA could provide legal certainty and extend duty-free access to specific products, the most significant benefits would likely come from relaxing rules of origin and limiting the use of US trade remedies, such as anti-dumping duties.

This report by the South African Institute of International Affairs evaluates the potential for a free trade agreement (FTA) between the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) and Mercosur. It argues that while static economic gains from tariff reduction are limited and may reinforce South Africa's reliance on primary product exports, significant dynamic opportunities exist through intra-industry specialization, institutional collaboration, and the disciplining of dominant domestic firms to benefit downstream manufacturing.

This report by the South African Institute of International Affairs evaluates the impact of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) on South African agricultural exports to the US. It argues that while AGOA has facilitated growth in specific niche agricultural products and clothing, its overall impact is limited by pre-existing low tariffs, complex rules of origin, and significant non-tariff barriers such as US agricultural subsidies and restrictive standards.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development examines the complexities of trade-related subsidies, focusing on the divide between developed and developing nations. It argues that current WTO indicators for measuring subsidies are inadequate for resolving trade disputes and proposes the use of 'terms-of-trade' as a more effective metric. The document provides detailed case studies on the subsidy regimes and trade impacts in India, the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), and Brazil, highlighting how subsidies in OECD countries often harm the economies of developing nations, particularly in agriculture.