The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has signed a five-year cooperation agreement with the U.S. government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
The U.S. will support SADC’s regional development objectives aimed at fostering sustained and inclusive socioeconomic growth, peace and stability by contributing $223 million in funding as part of the agreement.
Howard Van Vranken, U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Botswana and U.S. Representative to SADC, said “The U.S. government is committed to the principle that SADC and SADC member states must lead their own development journey. The U.S. government will work to foster a relationship that strengthens equal partnership for the benefit of all.”
Commencing with an inaugural investment of $35 million from USAID, the agreement will launch to bolster SADC’s partnerships on sustainability, gender equality, poverty alleviation, and women’s empowerment with both public and private sector entities, donors, and regional organizations.
The funding is expected to help accelerate SADC’s regional integration agenda, and the region to achieve economic growth targets set under the SADC Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (2020-2030) and the SADC Vision 2050.
