Q&A on the Southern Africa Regional Plan
1. Why launch a Regional Plan now?
DFID has been developing a
Regional Plan
(371
kb) for Southern Africa since the
consultations of the
Commission
for Africa highlighted this as a priority. Regional approaches were agreed
at the Gleneagles Summit as being
an important complement to country led approaches. Once the agreement was
reached at Gleneagles, DFID SA proceeded to finalise the Plan. The launch comes
just 2 weeks before the first anniversary of the Commission for Africa launch.
2. What areas will the Regional Plan support?
The Regional Plan will support a limited number of areas where the UK can make a contribution. These include:
- Growth, Jobs and Equity;
- Resilient Livelihoods;
- Peace/Security.
3. Will the Regional Plan fund any activity in Zimbabwe?
Zimbabwe will benefit from pilot work to increase regional integration and increase access to livelihoods. DFID South Africa (SA) will not be giving financial support to the Zimbabwean government. There will be no investment in military activity for Zimbabwe.
4. DFID SA is closing its bilateral aid programmes in Namibia, Botswana and Swaziland –doesn’t the Regional Plan contradict these closures?
DFID SA is exiting our bilateral assistance from Namibia, Botswana and Swaziland in line with our Middle Income Country (MIC) Policy. But we are not exiting our overall support from these countries. They are recipients of the aid we give through the European Union and other multilateral organisations, including the UN. The Regional Plan is a new mechanism through which we believe our aid to Southern Africa can be delivered more effectively.
5. Why are you closing your programmes in Botswana and Swaziland when HIV prevalence is so high and poverty is still widespread?
Botswana is a Middle Income Country and in line with our MIC policy to achieve a balance in the aid budget of 90% to low income countries and 10% to MICs, we are withdrawing our bilateral assistance. Botswana continues to benefit from our support through international agencies, including the Global Fund and the United Nations, for work including on the treatment and prevention of HIV.
6. Why are you declining your programme in Angola when there is widespread poverty and the country is in need of assistance for reconstruction?
The programme in Angola has declined as it has moved from a conflict country to one with different, development needs. But we are not exiting from Angola. Our programme is committed until 2008 and will be reviewed then.
7. Why is your regional office based in South Africa, a MIC?
South Africa is the most critical force behind the achievement of sustainable development in the Southern Africa region. We are based in Pretoria in order to be able to work closely with the Government of South Africa on development challenges in the region as well as in South Africa itself.
8. What is the UK doing to deliver on the commitments made at Gleneagles in 2005?
The UK is taking forward its own share of the commitments that we signed up to at Gleneagles. We are also working through the international system to ensure that Africa commitments stay high on the international agenda. The UK is producing a monthly Gleneagles update plan which tracks progress by the UK against commitments.
9. With whom in Africa did DFID consult in the drafting of the Regional Plan?
DFID consulted widely, including with representatives of government, regional organisations, civil society groups, private sector and industry bodies. DFID also drew from the civil society consultations held by the Commission for Africa in 2005.
10. Why is DFID’s aid budget for South Africa declining?
South Africa is a MIC (see above for line on MICs). DFID’s bilateral support to South Africa will continue, at the same time as we seek to move towards a partnership with South Africa to address poverty elsewhere in the Southern Africa region.
11. Will DFID continue to support NePAD?
The UK government remains a strong supporter of
New
Partnership for Africa’s Development (NePAD). New programmes in the
Regional Plan will be designed in support of NePAD’s own priorities,
particularly in the areas of infrastructure and agriculture.
