|
DFID South Africa |
|
Map courtesy of the FCO | |
South and Southern Africa
Background
South Africa is in its 13th year of democracy after decades of apartheid. The country has seen remarkable social and economic stability with a strong influence on the African continent as well as internationally. Despite its successes, South Africa remains a highly unequal society and experiences what President Thabo Mbeki refers to as “two economies” – a vibrant first world economy and the much larger informal rural and urban economy where poverty is still rife.
About 35% of South Africans are very poor. Almost 28% of South Africans in the formal sector are unemployed with as much as 40% of people in the informal sector without a job. Even more alarming is that South Africa has one of the highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rates in the world, with the estimated number of people infected with HIV at 5.6 million, of which 3.1 million are women.
DFID in South Africa
In 2006 DFID Southern Africa launched the
Regional Plan for Southern Africa
to work on growth and poverty with South Africa across borders in Southern
Africa. The Regional Plan responds to the recommendations from the
Commission
for Africa and commitments made by
G8 leaders in 2005 to give better and more aid towards Africa’s development.
The plan will support the priorities of the African Union, NEPAD and SADC in the
Southern Africa region. By 2010, DFID’s support will lead to:
- South African supermarkets sourcing 30% more inputs from other Southern African countries (rather than on the international market);
- A 5% increase in fruit and vegetable exports from Southern Africa; More effective border posts with a 30% reduction in waiting time;
- Transport costs for landlocked countries reduced by 25% due to improved roads, ports and rail infrastructure;
- At least three countries in the region able to predict and plan for hunger needs of their people;
- Malaria-related deaths falling by 50%;
- A 50% increase in Tuberculosis case detection and treatment; and
- A reduction in HIV infection rates.
DFID-SA will join up with the other European Union donors to support poverty reduction in South Africa. We will work more closely with South Africa to further develop its role and influence in the region. We will continue to support the Governments of Lesotho and Angola in their poverty reduction strategies. Through the Regional Plan, we will contribute £100 million to poverty reduction in Southern Africa over the next five years.
Regional Assistance
DFID-SA’s vision is to make Southern Africa a great place for all people to work, live and do business in. We will achieve this by working with others to increase jobs and investment, build peace and security, improve health and reduce hunger. Our support covers regional programmes in Southern Africa and bilateral programmes in South Africa, Lesotho and Angola. In rolling out the Regional Plan for Southern Africa, we are working closely with South Africa on its development plans for the region. We are supporting the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) such as the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), and the Southern African Customs Union (SACU). We are also working with civil society organisations in the region. Most importantly, we will join up with other donors in the region to ensure better coordination and impact of donor aid in the region.
DFID-SA supports a range of priorities to reduce poverty in the Southern Africa region, by working closely with Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and other regional organisations. Our programmes are aimed at:
- Supporting more and better trade between Southern Africa countries, and helping countries to effectively participate in international trade;
- Improving regional transport, telecommunications and energy to promote investment and job creation in the region;
- Helping Southern Africa countries to better predict and plan for hunger needs of the poor;
- Addressing HIV/AIDS and infectious diseases in the region;
- Predicting the impact of climate change on the poor in the region;
- Helping Southern Africa countries to come up with better ways of managing shared water resources and
- Helping the region to overcome the devastating impact of decades of conflict and war.
Over the next five years, we will contribute £20 million a year towards regional programmes in Southern Africa.
South Africa, Botswana, Namibia and Swaziland
In South Africa, DFID-SA has provided support to help the Government achieve the priorities set out in its Programme of Action. Our support has focused on three main themes:
- Promoting Growth, Jobs and Equity: Programmes to support South Africa in developing policies to increase growth, investment and employment, and address inequality.
- Governance and Service Delivery: Programmes aimed at helping local government deliver basic services such as water and sanitation, education and health more effectively.
- HIV/AIDS: Programmes to support government and its civil society partners in developing HIV/AIDS policy and prevention and care strategies.
DFID continues to support activities in the middle-income countries of Botswana, Namibia and Swaziland at a modest level. These countries benefit largely from regional programmes as our bilateral support has ended. DFID is supporting a range of HIV prevention and care initiatives through the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC). This programme operates in Botswana, Swaziland, Namibia and Lesotho. We have also recently agreed a regional programme with UNICEF, which focuses on the care and support of orphans and vulnerable children. This £18 million three-year programme will operate in Angola, Lesotho, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Swaziland. In addition to addressing HIV/AIDS, DFID also supports Botswana on trade policy and improving access to finance by the poor. In Namibia we are supporting the areas of trade and tourism. DFID’s support to the SACU region was £23 million in 2006/7 and will total a further £20 million in 2007/8.
South Africa and Millennium Development Goals
South Africa is well on course to meet all the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) ahead of the 2015 deadline. The very poor are steadily improving their lives through increased social assistance grants. The number of people benefiting has increased from 2.6 million to 7.9 million since 1994. Jobs and skills are increasing through the governments Expanded Public Works Programme and small farmers are benefiting from the Agriculture Starter Pack Programme and Comprehensive Agricultural Support Programme (CASP). The government’s expenditure on HIV and AIDS has increased from R30 million in 1994 to about R3.6 billion in 2005. Since 1994, 10 million more people have access to clean water. About 1.74 million houses were built between April 1994 and March 2005. Primary school enrolment has also increased steadily. However, South Africa recognises the challenge to ensure MDGs are also achieved in other African countries, and especially in Southern Africa, where progress is falling behind. Because of its relative wealth and expertise, South Africa plays a critical role in Africa’s development. Along with other African presidents, President Mbeki has been an important player in the creation of the African Union and NEPAD. These initiatives have the aim of ensuring that MDGs are achieved on the African continent.
Links
- Making Financial Markets Work for the Poor in Southern Africa
(212 kb)
- Making Commodity and Service Markets Work for the Poor in Southern Africa
Last updated: 28 March 2008
