Regional Programme in Southern Africa

Since the end of the apartheid regime, SDC has been supporting a cooperation programme with South Africa. The Regional Programme Southern Africa 2005-2010 represents a shift towards regional priorities. SDC is following the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region's and South Africa's own trend towards regional cooperation, which is also observed with other donors in the SADC region. The broadest frame for this strategy is SDC Strategy 2010, where SDC defines its activities on five topics of cooperation: Crisis prevention and management, good governance, income generation and employment, increase of social justice, and sustainable use of natural resources.

The Regional Programme covers the SADC region with approximately 200 million people consisting of Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia, Swaziland and Zimbabwe. The Democratic Republic of Congo will not be included in the Programme, Madagascar will be added to the list once it becomes a member of the SADC.

Switzerland’s regional Domains of Intervention

Governance: Support to the process of strengthening of formal democracy, enhancing of democratic culture, contribution to responsive and accountable institutions at central and local level.
HIV/AIDS: Support to regional efforts contributing to psychological support for children affected by HIV/AIDS, participation in policy development and implementation, contribution to regional research on selected topics.
Natural Resources Management: Cross-border River Basin Management, food security, Trans-frontier Park Management System.

Additional Information and Documents

Southern Africa - Regional Cooperation Strategy 2005-2010
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