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This report analyzes the economic status and integration of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), highlighting significant disparities in GDP growth, business competitiveness, and trade patterns among its 15 member states. It identifies infrastructure deficits, corruption, and regulatory barriers as primary inhibitors to regional growth and trade efficiency.

This case study examines the lack of progress in implementing a SADC Univisa, a regional visa intended to boost tourism and business travel in Southern Africa. Despite a 1998 protocol and the potential for 3-5% annual growth in tourism, implementation is hindered by security concerns, bureaucratic inertia, and conflicting interests between economic ministries and security agencies. The document highlights the disparity in visa openness compared to East Africa and suggests using the Kavango Zambezi (KAZA) TFCA pilot as a model for broader regional adoption.

This case study examines the challenges and proposed improvements for Transit Management Systems (TMSs) within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA). It highlights how the requirement for multiple national customs bonds increases the cost and time of cross-border trade and suggests adopting a participatory management structure and a single-bond model similar to the international TIR system to facilitate trade within the proposed Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA).

This case study examines the non-tariff barriers and systemic inefficiencies at the Beit Bridge border post between South Africa and Zimbabwe. It details how inadequate infrastructure, IT failures, corruption, and bureaucratic redundancies cause significant delays for commercial trucks, increasing transport costs and consumer prices for goods such as fuel and sugar.

This case study examines the development of the Port of Walvis Bay in Namibia as a strategic logistics hub for the Southern African Development Community (SADC). It details the port's infrastructure upgrades, the role of the state-owned Namibian Ports Authority (Namport), and the use of public-private partnerships through the Walvis Bay Corridor Group to facilitate trade for landlocked neighbors.

This research paper by Amanda Lucey argues for the integration of peace and security into the discourse of South-South Cooperation (SSC), specifically in the context of the BAPA+40 conference. The author contends that while the original 1978 Buenos Aires Plan of Action (BAPA) focused on economic and social development, the contemporary African reality necessitates a holistic approach where peace and development are viewed as mutually reinforcing.

This research paper by Elizabeth Sidiropoulos and Ross Herbert examines the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), a voluntary governance assessment tool launched by the African Union in 2002 under the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD). The authors analyze the APRM's structure, its five-stage review process, and the varying degrees of civil society involvement in early participating countries, while highlighting the critical importance of publishing final reports to ensure government accountability.

This report summarizes a high-level regional conference hosted by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA), the ODI, and ECDPM on November 24-25, 2008. The event focused on the impact of Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) on regional integration in southern Africa, the challenges of overlapping memberships in regional economic communities, and the viability of current integration models such as customs unions.

This policy briefing evaluates the feasibility of establishing a regional stabilisation fund for the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) to counter revenue volatility. The author argues that such a fund is inappropriate due to the differing sources and scales of revenue volatility among member states and a lack of historical precedent for regional stabilisation funds. Instead, the document recommends revising the SACU revenue-sharing formula and implementing country-level fiscal instruments.

This research paper assesses the feasibility of establishing a regional stabilisation fund for the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) to counter revenue volatility. The author concludes that a regional fund is inappropriate and infeasible because member states experience different degrees of volatility driven by different revenue sources. Instead, the paper recommends that member states focus on revising the SACU revenue-sharing formula or implementing country-level fiscal tools such as medium-term expenditure frameworks and fiscal rules.

This fact sheet from the South African Institute of International Affairs outlines the 'key certainties' and 'key uncertainties' regarding the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in Southern Africa, highlighting trends in urbanisation, energy costs, and climate vulnerability.

A keynote speech delivered by Chen Xiaodong, China's Ambassador-designate to South Africa, on October 13, 2020, detailing the evolution of China-Africa cooperation. The speech emphasizes a transition toward market-driven trade, digital economy integration, and infrastructure development, while addressing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the strategic importance of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

This research paper by Professor Ahmed Mohiddin examines the tendency of executive branches to dominate governance structures in Africa. It analyzes the systemic reasons for this dominance, the capacity failures of legislatures and judiciaries, and the role of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) and civil society in establishing effective checks and balances.

This research paper by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) analyzes the revival of Côte d’Ivoire’s regional diplomacy under President Alassane Ouattara. After a period of decline following the death of Félix Houphouët-Boigny in 1993 and subsequent civil crises, the country is seeking to regain its status as a leading political and economic actor in West Africa through a policy of 'good neighbourliness' and strategic engagement with regional organizations and global powers.

This policy briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines South Africa's economic diplomacy toward Zimbabwe following the July 2013 elections. It argues that South Africa and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) prioritized security and political stability over economic concerns, leading to a decision to end regional monitoring of Zimbabwe despite a continuing economic crisis.

This policy brief by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the gap between the African Union's (AU) normative commitments to democracy and human rights and the actual foreign policies of its member states. The author argues that strong sovereignty norms and a state-centric approach have hindered the domestication of human rights, leading to a state of 'stasis' or reversal in several countries. The brief recommends that the AU embrace global partnerships with civil society and that pivotal states like South Africa rejuvenate human rights as a core pillar of their external engagements to ensure continental stability.

This 2012 policy brief examines the struggle of Chinese Economic and Trade Co-operation Zones (ETCZs) in Africa to become operational. Despite official targets and approvals in countries like Zambia, Nigeria, and Ethiopia, most zones remain underpopulated or non-functional, with Egypt being the primary exception. The author identifies failures on the Chinese side, such as top-down developer selection and cultural barriers, and on the African side, including poor offsite infrastructure and a lack of regulatory frameworks to ensure local economic spillovers. The brief notes that private Chinese industrial zones in South Africa and Botswana have fared better than these official state-backed initiatives.

This policy briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) analyzes South Africa's efforts to influence political and economic reform in Swaziland since 1994. It examines the role of bilateral diplomacy, regional institutions like SACU and SADC, and the personal relationship between President Jacob Zuma and King Mswati III, concluding that South Africa's approach has been largely reactive and tempered by the Swazi government's resistance to reform.

This policy briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs argues that effective governance, specifically the devolution of rights to local communities, is the essential 'linchpin' for the sustainable management of Africa's dryland forests. It highlights the economic under-valuation of these ecosystems and calls for policy incentives that align community benefits with conservation efforts.

This 2014 policy briefing outlines a path to finalize the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between the European Union and the Southern African Development Community (SADC). It identifies four critical obstacles: export taxes, the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) clause, agricultural safeguards, and rules of origin. The author argues that the EU should drop demands for export tax bans, adopt a percentage-based MFN clause, allow for immediate agricultural safeguards, and provide technical and financial support for the implementation of rules of origin to ensure the agreement's success and political viability.