Country Program Materials
2010 Congressional Budget Justification
The CBJ summarizes USAID/Southern Africa activities and funding.
USAID/Southern Africa Links
 Country Profile (pdf,145kb)
Recent Publications & Reports
Global Health: HIV/AIDS
Humanitarian
& Disaster Assistance
USAID/Southern Africa Mission
Mission Director:
Jeffrey Borns
Local Address:
P.O. Box 43
Pretoria 0027
South Africa
Tel: 27-012-452-2000
Fax: 27-012-452-2399
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USAID helps Southern African farmers produce and market high value nontraditional export crops, such as the honeybush for tea that this woman is harvesting. The market for honeybush is expanding by 20 percent per year as consumer interest in natural herb products has grown worldwide.
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USAID/Southern Africa
OVERVIEW
In Southern Africa, the United States seeks to increase trade and strengthen regional economic ties, address the HIV/AIDS crisis, mitigate food insecurity, and strengthen democracy to reduce the risk of conflict in the region. USAID/Southern Africa, located in Pretoria, South Africa, complements and enhances USAID’s bilateral programs, supporting unique and innovative regional activities and providing services to assist USAID missions in the region.
PROGRAMS
GOVERNING JUSTLY AND DEMOCRATICALLY
In southern Africa, multi-party democracy has received more popular support and endorsement than any other form of governance. However, democratic values and practices remain shallow-rooted, and progress toward democratic consolidation is slow, with evidence of regression in some countries. USAID aims to strengthen the legitimacy and capacity of key governmental institutions and build the advocacy capacity of regional civil society organizations.
INVESTING IN PEOPLE: HEALTH
Southern Africa is more severely affected by HIV/AIDS than any other region in the world. The burden of the epidemic is staggering. In at least six southern African countries, more than one in every five people is infected with HIV/AIDS; in Botswana and Swaziland nearly two out of three adults may be infected. Working through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, USAID provides treatment, prevention, health system strengthening, support for orphans and vulnerable children, and improved capacity of regional organizations.
ECONOMIC GROWTH
Southern Africa is a diverse region, with economies facing challenges of poverty, frequent natural and man-made disasters, and food insecurity. Though a few countries have grown their GDPs relatively quickly, in all countries large numbers of rural poor have not benefited from growth and are much more vulnerable to economic shocks. Increased trade and open markets are the key components of economic growth and poverty reduction. However, policies and regulations that constrain trade and increase costs make the region less competitive in world markets, and private goods and services do not meet the standards of the global marketplace
Within this economic, political, and geographical environment, USAID’s regional activities support the Feed the Future Initiative through programs that address market development and trade and technology generation through agricultural policy and research. The goals are to boost access to well-functioning markets, increase agricultural productivity, increase private investment in agriculture and nutrition, improve consumption of nutritious foods, and improve policies to support growth of the agricultural sector.
USAID’s Southern Africa Trade Hub in Botswana builds regional capacity for negotiation and implementation of trade agreements and promotes opportunities made available under the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). In the priority sectors of agribusiness, textiles, and apparel, the Hub identifies bottlenecks to market growth and promotes the international competitiveness of southern African products.
Water scarcity in Southern Africa is a growing concern. Population growth and demands for domestic, agricultural, and industrial consumption are increasing stress on finite water resources and the region’s rich biodiversity. Seventy percent of the region’s watersheds are shared between two or more countries. USAID focuses on improving the management of shared river basins, starting with the Okavango River Basin. USAID is working with the Southern African Development Community and the Okavango River Basin Water Commission to improve management of water and other natural resources in the basin, and this initiative is now expanding beyond the initial Okavango to include joint management of other cross-border natural resources. USAID is also addressing the challenges posed by climate change by supporting the research and analysis of potential climate impacts and building the adaptive capacity of a diverse range of stakeholders—from national governments to local communities—to respond in socially, environmentally, and economically sound ways.
HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE
As part of its mandate to save lives, alleviate suffering, and reduce the economic and social impact of disasters, USAID provides support to countries that are facing disasters or crises through technical support and advice on how the United States can assist the response. In addition, USAID supports bilateral and regional programs to promote risk reduction and mitigation for recurring disasters that affect the region.
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