Poverty is the principal development challenge confronting the SADC (Southern African Development Community) region. It is widespread, with an estimated 70% of the population living below the US$2 per day poverty level, and 40% living in extreme poverty. Increasing levels of inequality, bad political, social and economic governance and a worsening health situation are major causes for poverty.

Since 1994, SDC has been supporting a bilateral cooperation programme with South Africa. The Regional Programme Southern Africa 2005 – 2010 (RPSA) represents a shift towards regional priorities. With the updated Cooperation Strategy 2008 – 2010, SDC has renewed its commitment to supporting the efforts to address social, economic, political and environmental vulnerabilities in Southern Africa through a regional public goods approach. It will adhere to the “Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness” and the “Windhoek Declaration on a new SADC/International Cooperation Partnership”. The Cooperation strategy 2008 – 2010 will address inherent challenges of the region, namely the Triple Bind – Food insecurity, HIV/AIDS and a constrained state capacity to deliver essential services to poor women, men and children.

The SADC region comprises 14 states with approximately 200 million people and includes Angola, Botswana, DRCongo, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. (DR Congo as part of SDC’s Great Lakes Region Programmes is not incorporated in the RPSA). The RPSA will continue supporting bilateral programmes in South Africa.