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Summary
This strategy paper outlines a new approach to DFID-Southern Africa’s work. Section B describes DFID Southern
Africa’s responsibilities. We aim to support poverty elimination in the five countries of the Southern African
Customs Union (SACU) – Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa and Swaziland. We also support regional
approaches to poverty reduction across the wider Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.
Section C considers the global and continental factors affecting poverty, and the growing commitment to
collective responses by African countries. It proposes a programme of work to address regional dimensions of
poverty – covering trade, conflict, water resources, HIV/AIDS, and food security.
Section D looks at poverty within the five SACU countries. The analysis emphasises:
- the significance of the apartheid legacy in entrenching deep poverty and inequality
- the need to focus on jobs, growth and equity as well as improved governance and service delivery
- the extent of the challenge posed by the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
In the four middle-income countries – Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Swaziland – DFID will focus on
policy engagement and technical assistance, rather than the transfer of financial resources. We will work to strengthen
partners’ efforts in:
- analysis of poverty and inequality, and the development of poverty strategies
- promoting growth, jobs and equity
- strengthening democracy, governance and service delivery
- tackling HIV/AIDS.
In South Africa, DFID will maintain a significant programme in all these areas, working in close co-operation
with government, civil society and other international partners. In the three smaller middle-income countries,
DFID will over time replace its diverse programme of bilateral projects with a new approach, centred on working
with multilateral agencies to promote development and implementation of national poverty reduction strategies. We
will aim increasingly to support initiatives that cover SACU as a whole.
Lesotho, a low-income country with a per capita GDP of only $580, relies on donors for financial resources, as
well as technical assistance. DFID will work with other international donors to support the development and
implementation of Lesotho’s poverty reduction strategy.
Over the next three years, DFID plans to spend up to Р€40 million per year in the five SACU countries, and
Р€7 million on regional programmes across SADC. In addition to this direct spending, DFID will also spend some
Р€25 million per year through multilateral programmes in the region, chiefly through the European Union.
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- 259Kb ~ 1 min (34 pages)
