South Africa was invited to join the Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRIC) group at the end of 2010, mainly because South Africa is viewed as the ‘gateway’ into Africa, and South Africa is also considered to be the link between BRIC and the Southern African Development Community (SADC). It is expected that the BRIC countries will increase their foreign direct investment (FDI) to South Africa. This inflow of BRIC FDI may lead to the advantages of boosting SADC exports, which is important as it may lead to the SADC countries experiencing expanded market opportunities, and exports have for a long time been viewed as an engine of economic growth. It has been further indicated that it is evident that relatively few studies have been conducted on the relationship between FDI and exports within the African context and that this relationship is not well understood. In light of these shortcomings in the literature, the first aim of this study was to attempt to contribute to the literature on FDI in SADC by investigating the relationship between BRIC FDI inflows on SADC exports. From the assessment of recent studies conducted on the relationship between FDI and exports in developed, developing and African countries a number of conclusions have been made. The first was that the majority of the studies conducted between 2000 and 2011 by various authors used causality tests and regression models to determine the relationships between FDI and exports. It also seemed that bi-directional causality is most often found, thereby indicating that FDI has a positive influence on exports and exports also have a positive influence on FDI. The secondary research aim, to determine the specific relationship between the BRIC’s FDI on SADC exports to BRIC and the world, was analysed by means of a descriptive and empirical study (correlation test, regression model, Granger causality test and panel data causality testing method), and the results indicated that, from 2003 to 2011, there was a strong positive correlation between BRIC FDI inflows to SADC and SADC exports to BRIC (59 per cent) and the world (96 per cent). The regression analysis showed that 53 per cent of the variance in the SADC exports to the BRIC is explained by BRIC FDI, while 99 per cent of the variance in the SADC exports to the world is explained by BRIC FDI. Finally the Granger causality test results indicated that BRIC FDI inflows contributed to higher exports from SADC, specifically SADC exports to the world. This was however not the case for SADC exports to BRIC. The results further suggest that there is a possible cointegration between BRIC FDI and the SADC exports to the world, reflecting, among other things, that the simultaneous movement of BRIC FDI inflows with SADC exports to the world may be mainly due to exogenous factors rather than a direct causal relationship. The BRIC FDI inflows on the SADC exports to the world being significant is a motivation for the SADC group to further motivate integration, co-operation and participation within BRIC, as this may possibly lead to further inward FDI flows, which may further promote exports to the world. Future studies would include determining the market forces that contribute to the simultaneous movement of BRIC FDI inflows into SADC, with the SADC exports to the world. / MCom (International Trade), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

Thesis (MAgricAdmin)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This research provides South Africa's producers and exporters with information on new market opportunities for South Africa's selected agricultural and food products in the Southern African Development Community (SADC). There is increasing global competition and countries in Africa are increasingly targeted as export markets due to its population growth and its increasing per capita income. Both developed countries and developing countries such as the United States of America, China, Brazil, India, etc. are gradually increasing their exports to Africa. In Sub-Saharan Africa, this is also taking place in SADC. In this region, there has been a significant increase in total imports from the mentioned countries from 2001 to 2013. The International Trade Centre market selection method was used for product selection (using the Export Potential Index) and country selection (using the Market Attractiveness Index). Fourteen products were selected and Angola is the most attractive market in the region (SADC) and is ranked first in the Market Attractiveness Index for seven of the fourteen selected products. The top ranking markets for the 14 selected products were identified as: Mauritius for maize, sweetened milk powder, raw cane sugar and wheat or meslin flour; Angola for fresh apples, fresh or dried oranges, sparkling wine, bulk wine, refined cane or beet sugar, frozen bovine cuts, and frozen bovine carcasses and half carcasses; Mozambique for bottled wine; and Zambia for fresh grapes and soya beans. In most cases the countries with the second and third highest rankings in the Market Attractiveness Index also offer opportunities for market diversification. South Africa exports certain products to non-African countries, whereas these non-African countries export the same products to SADC. There are therefore opportunities geographically nearer to South Africa, because South Africa could export these products to SADC. Exporters should not necessarily abandon non-African markets in order to export to SADC; however they should be aware of opportunities close by and develop strategies to maximize profit and maintain sustainable markets. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie navorsing bied aan Suid-Afrika se produsente en uitvoerders inligting oor nuwe markgeleenthede vir Suid-Afrika se geselekteerde landbou-en voedselprodukte in die Suider Afrikaanse Ontwikkelingsgemeenskap (SAOG). Daar is toenemende globale mededinging en lande in Afrika word toenemend geteiken as uitvoermarkte as gevolg van bevolkingsgroei en die stygende per capita inkomste. Beide ontwikkelde en ontwikkelende lande soos die Verenigde State van Amerika, China, Brasilië, Indië, ens. verhoog geleidelik hulle uitvoere na Afrika. In Sub-Sahara Afrika, gebeur dit ook in SAOG. In hierdie streek, was daar „n betekenisvolle toename in invoere vanaf die genoemde lande van 2001 tot 2013. Die Internasionale Handelsentrum markseleksie metode is gebruik om produkte te kies (met die Uitvoer Potensiaal Indeks) en om lande te kies (met die Mark Aantreklikheidsindeks). Veertien produkte is gekies en Angola is die mees aantreklike mark in die streek (SAOG) en is bo-aan die lys in die Mark Aantreklikheidsindeks vir sewe van die veertien geselekteerde produkte. Die top markte vir die 14 geselekteerde produkte is geïdentifiseer as: Mauritius vir mielies, versoete melkpoeier, ruwe rietsuiker en mengkoringmeelblom; Angola vir vars appels, vars of gedroogde lemoene, vonkelwyn, grootmaat wyn, verwerkte riet- of beetsuiker, bevrore beessnitte, en bevrore bees karkasse en half karkasse; Mosambiek vir gebottelde wyn; en Zambië vir vars druiwe en vir sojabone. In meeste gevalle bied lande met die tweede en derde hoogste punte in die Mark Aantreklikheidsindeks ook geleenthede vir markdiversifikasie. Suid-Afrika voer sekere produkte uit na nie-Afrika lande, terwyl hierdie nie-Afrika lande weer dieselfde produkte na die SAOG uitvoer. Daar is dus geleenthede geografiese nader aan Suid-Afrika, want Suid-Afrika kan hierdie produkte na die SAOG uitvoer. Uivoerders moet nie noodwendig oorsese markte laat vaar om na die SAOG uit te voer nie, maar hulle moet bewus wees van nader geleenthede en strategieë ontwikkel om wins te maksimeer en volhoubare markte te handhaaf.

This thesis focuses on the relationship between trade and FDI in the SADC. While FDI is seen as a stimulus for growth and development, Africa is lagging behind other regions in attracting FDI. Whilst a number of reasons have been explored in the literature, the potential link between trade and FDI has not been explored in the African context. This may be potentially important, since African governments have been engaging in trade liberalisation and trade promotion over the past two decades. In this thesis, gravity modelling is used to investigate the trade-FDI relationship. Two single equation regression models are used in a preliminary investigation to evaluate aggregate trade and FDI. The third model consists of six panel regressions that evaluate the different relationships between the individual SADC countries and their individual major trading partners. A causality test is also carried out to confirm the relevance of trade as a determinant of FDI in the SADC. Overall results indicate that, in the specific case of the SADC, SADC exports significantly cause FDI. Distance from home countries and political instability are the most significant negative forces that affect FDI inflows. Home country exports deliver mixed results and these results suggest that the United States and the United Kingdom have a different FDI-trade relationship with the SADC than continental Europe, whereas Japan's exports prove insignificant. The policy implications are that the SADC will need to focus on attracting investment from countries that provide for complementary FDI and trade as this is optimal for poverty alleviation and job creation. Further research should focus on these policy areas and take into account the relevance of trade as a determinant of FDI. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Economics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

Student Number : 0107471X - MSc research report - School of Civil and Environmental Engineering - Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment / Water plays a global role in an enormous variety of ways. More importantely it also plays a fundamental role on a regional and local scales where it has a profound effect on the environment and socio economic development. It is a prerequisite for many of the mans activities and as such it must be managed and protected accordingly. In this water quality plays a fundamental role and water quality monitoring is a foundation stone of any serious efforts to manage water resources on any scale. The research conducted focused on water quality monitoring in the SADC region. It looked at the current practice and the gaps present with respect to the real needs and international best practice. SADC region is characterized by trans-boundary water systems where pollution of water resources is often not understood properly nor has been seriously studied. A regional Water Quality Monitoring Program is advocated to address these issues and is seen as one of the prerequisites for effective water resources management in the SADC region. Existing Water Quality Monitoring in individual countries of the SADC region has been studied on the basis of existing (limited) information and gaps with respect to international best practice have been identified. Recommendations have been made regarding the establishment of the SADC Water Quality Monitoring program. A set of principles on which this should be based have been formulated. It has been concluded that SADC countries do not have an appropriate water quality monitoring in place and that what does exist is not in line with the best practice recommendations. It is suggested that without an appropriate regional water quality monitoring program water quality could become one of the limiting factors of the future economic development in the region.

The main goal of this research is to investigate whether foreign exchange transacting costs are an impediment to intra-regional trading within the Southern African Development Community SADC region. The research question posed has been whether foreign exchange trading costs affect the amount of intra-regional trading within the SADC region. Once the impediments relating to regional trading have been broken down and the cost effect on Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises SMMEs is established, then possible solutions are proposed. The research discovers that the cost of foreign exchange has an impact on intra-regional trading, but it is not the main hindrance to intra-regional trading in the SADC. It also discovers that the settlement risk of a foreign exchange transaction in the region has not yet been addressed to the same or similar extent as in the developed world. The extent of trading partners’ currency volatility is a function of the amount of trade between those trading partners. The SADC countries’ currency pairs volatility can be reduced by increased trade. Having said that, businesses need to plan and high levels of volatility tend to be disruptive. This is now the area where it is suggested that central banks within the region should actively participate in foreign exchange markets. Central banks should be the facilitator or price-maker of last resort in cases of lack of liquidity of local or foreign currencies. The research suggests that they should play a role in ensuring or reducing the amount of rapid currency spikes that lead to disorderly markets. The research also discovers that SMMEs are a core part of the economies of developing countries, and therefore a serious look at this sector of the economy is suggested. Mobile communication networks, like cell phones, are the current accessible and preferred communications tool among the geographical regions and areas that are hard to reach. Cell phones have also doubled as a form of payment among rural, African countries. The research suggests leeching on the current cell phone iii banking platforms to enable better foreign exchange reach to SMMEs and the general public. It suggests interlinking relationships between banks and cell phone networks, where the cell phone companies facilitate the accessibility and the banks’ liquidity. The report takes cognisance of the fact that, inasmuch as the countries in SADC are geographically close to each other, their political, economic and social dynamics can be wildly different. This would therefore mean that the proposed solutions are not necessarily a one-size-fits-all, but could be adjusted and tweaked to suit individual country dynamics.

Student Number : 0215507F - PhD thesis - School of Mining Engineering - Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment / The minerals sector in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) is considered to be the basis of economic reconstruction and development. After several decades of mineral extraction, SADC member States are still grappling with how the sector can contribute to the broader economy and achieve sustainable development. The sector has the potential to fulfill these national aspirations if appropriate policies are developed. In the context of the SADC, the thesis argues that since most of the population is rural-based, strategies for meaningful mineral development must take into account the concerns of these people. Policy defines a vision and aspiration, and articulates what a nation wishes to do with its mineral resources. The process of policy development is therefore crucial to ensure that the concerns of several stakeholders are considered and consensus is reached on actions to be taken for beneficial mineral extraction. The thesis shows a process of mineral policy development that result in the identification of key areas of emphasis to address concerns of the majority of the population in a country. The process has been applied in the development of mineral policies in Namibia and Malawi during this study. The outcomes address broad and specific social, economic and environmental issues that are consistent with sustainable development. Since the SADC countries have similar problems and opportunities, once all States have articulated minerals policies using this process, a regional approach or policy can be derived. This study illustrates such a policy framework.

This think piece captures some of the thinking that emerged in and through the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Regional Environmental Education Programme research programme. This research programme emerged over a five-year period (2008–2012) and involved ten southern African teacher education institutions from eight countries (see ‘Acknowledgements’). The research programme sought to understand what contributions environment and sustainability education could make to debates on educational quality and relevance. Issues of educational quality are high on the national agendas of governments in southern Africa, as it is now well known that providing access to schooling is not a sufficient condition for achieving educational quality. Educational quality is intimately linked to the processes of teaching and learning, but the concept of educational quality is not unproblematic in and of itself. It is, as Noel Gough (2005) noted many years ago, an ‘order word’ that shapes the way people think and practise. Our enquiries during this research programme involved a number of case studies (that were reported on in the Southern African Journal of Environmental Education (SAJEE) in 2008, and are again reported on in this edition of the SAJEE), but the programme also involved theoretical engagement with the concept of educational quality and relevance. This think piece helps to make some of this thinking and theoretical deliberation visible. The author of this think piece was also the leader of the regional research programme and was tasked with synthesising the theoretical deliberations that emerged from the research design which were found to be useful for guiding interpretations and deliberation on more detailed case studies undertaken at country level.

Environmental and sustainability issues prevail in modern society. Southern Africa, where this study is based, is one of the regions most at risk from intersecting issues of climate health risk, and poverty-related ills. Education has the potential to facilitate catalytic transformation of society through development of understandings of these intersecting environment and sustainability concerns, and to support engagements in more sustainable social practices oriented towards the common good. This requires a rethinking of education within a wider common good frame. It also has implications for how quality education is considered. However, little is said of how this could be done, especially in teacher education. The paper shares two cases of teacher educators’ change project experiences, as they emerged via professional development support and the mediatory processes applied in courses conducted by the Southern African Development Community Regional Environmental Education Programme (SADC REEP) aimed at enhancing professional capacity of teacher educators and other environmental educators for mainstreaming environment and sustainability education (ESE)1. These courses are framed using a change project approach, and involve teacher educators as main participants. In-depth data were generated from interviews with two teacher educators, their assignment write-ups, and observations of their teacher education practice. Realist social theory, particularly the principle of emergence, was used to trace the emergence of change in teacher education practice. Sociocultural learning theory was used to explain mediation of learning-oriented changes in teacher education practice. We illustrate how the change project model and approach contributed to mediating change in practice, showing emergent attributes of capacity for mainstreaming ESE and elements of a concept of quality education among course participants oriented towards the common good. In conclusion, we argue that ESE seems to be a sensitising construct for initiating and sustaining change for ESE in teacher education. In addition, the change project has proved to be a potential vehicle for mainstreaming the notion and practice of ESE into social systems and teacher education practices. We argue that reflexive ESE praxis provides a sensitising focus, initiating quality education with humanising properties necessary for the common good.

Thesis (Ph.D. (Economics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

<p>This research paper aims to understand and analyse the CISG, its history, scope and structure, and to evaluate its impact on SADC.The main ideas that this paper will consider are: what is the CISG / &nbsp / Its history, scope and structure / &nbsp / Its impact on developing countries / &nbsp / Its relevance to developing countries within SADC / and How the implementation of the CISG improved these developing countries within SADC.</p>