Abstract
Local Economic Development (LED) has attracted global recognition as a response to local challenges such as imbalanced economic growth, intra-regional investment, lack of trade diversification, domestic infrastructure constraints, financial inclusion, labour shortage, and political–economic constraints. In light of the recent global development initiatives, including the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals, the need to stimulate economic growth in contemporary societies such as the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region cannot be overestimated. As such, LED backing is constantly on the development agenda. The LED practice within the SADC is informed by the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan 2015–2020. This plan aims to enhance economic collaboration in the region in order to address the existing socio-economic development imperatives and has paved the way for several LED alternatives in order to promote socio-economic development within the African cities in the region. These initiatives include the SADC- Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)-East African Community (EAC) Free Trade Area, African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), SADC Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap, and African Development Bank (AfDB). The paradigmatic shift in LED approaches at a regional level confer a prominent role within African cities.
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Notes
- 1.
All references to SADC in this paper will exclude the newly admitted 16th member, Comoros (admitted in 2017), since most data pertain to SADC’s development over the last few years. The main objective of the SADC is to facilitate regional integration that is built on democratic principles, equity and sustainable development.
- 2.
The RISDP was adopted in 2005 to guide social and economic goals envisioned by the SADC.
- 3.
The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) is a multilateral development finance institution, which was founded in 1964.
- 4.
The RIDMP was signed at the Summit of SADC Heads of State and Government in August 2012. It guides development in key infrastructure.
- 5.
The SATIPP is a joint programme launched by the African Export-Import Bank (‘Afreximbank’) and the Export Credit Insurance Corporation of South Africa SOC Limited (‘ECIC’), which seeks to enhance trade and investment.
- 6.
AfCFTA is a trade agreement between African Union member states which Rwanda ratified on 21 March 2018. Currently it has 54 member states.
- 7.
REC is a ‘building block’ of the African Union (AU) and New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), which facilitates economic integration.
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Qwabe, B.R., Zondi, S.I. (2020). Local Economic Development as an Alternative Development Strategy in Southern African Cities. In: Reddy, P.S., Wissink, H. (eds) Reflections on African Cities in Transition. Advances in African Economic, Social and Political Development. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-46115-7_7
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