High-level Dialogue on the Drivers and Politics of Regional Integration in Southern Africa Presentation Day 2 by Bruce Byier 2-3 July 2013 Roodevallei Hotel Pretoria, South Africa

1. Drivers & Politics of Regional
Integration in Southern Africa
Lessons for Policy
Makers

2. If want regional integration to bring effective
development we need to understand the
politics and drivers behind it
• Birds-eye view
• Development corridors
• Private sector drivers
• Regional infrastructure planning
• Regional public goods management
What lessons can we draw for national,
regional and external actors?
Summary
Page 2ECDPM

3. • SADC empowerment/institutional changes?
• Harnessing existing „functional‟ integration
• Aligning interests important – political,
private sector, regional
• Need for more accountability and
enforcement on gov regional commitments
• Some models – e.g. NTB notification
system, FESARTA, SADC monitoring of
investment protocol
• Corridors/infrastructures important but not
enough
• How to engage with (what) private sector–
accompanying policies and investments
Summary – Day 1 Themes
ECDPM Page 3

4. • Regional projects ARE complex
• Time, patience, leadership, buy-in, luck(?)
• Big gap between project design and
implementation
• Need to think about finance structure from
early on – new models?
• Capacity and finance issues, BUT are they
real constraints? Access to funds?
• Govs can raise money when they want –
e.g.Unity bridge
• Governments need to be clear on needs
Summary of day 2
ECDPM Page 4

5. • Questions of trust? Also interests… e.g.
electricity
• SADC as a negotiating bloc
• Institutional capacity still weak – all from
ICPs
• No regional management of water resources
• National treatment provisions
• Multiple roles for donors/ICPs
Summary of Day 2
ECDPM Page 5

6. • Regional-national tensions
• Politics matter for prioritisation and stability
for long-term
• Buy-in and models for engagement
important – process again…
• Identification of “strategic” partners for
dialogue is key
• Non-implementation a reality to address
• Realistic expectations – on gov.s, PS,
regional secretariats
Broad themes from discussions
ECDPM Page 6

7. • What does „buy-in‟ look like?
• Can we generalise from blockages e.g.
BeitBridge?
• How to balance “planning” and “bottom-up”
– on infrastructures, industry, development
linkages etc.
• How feasible/desirable is regional industrial
policy to accompany corridors etc?
• Can ICPs be adaptable/flexible –
MICS&LICS, private sector etc
Questions
ECDPM Page 7

8. • MS Ambassadors to SADC
• SADC Regional PPP legislation/unit
• Centralised info on project preparation funds
• Opinion polls of transporters on
roads/borders – name and shame?
• Challenge funds/corridors for investments
along corridors
• Research on models for engagement
enforcement?
Some ideas
ECDPM Page 8

9. Thank you
www.ecdpm.org
www.slideshare.net/ecdpm
Page 9