Understanding South Africa’s Role in Achieving Regional and Global Development Progress

As Africa’s most diversified, developed and (until recently) largest economy, South Africa occupies a unique position in the international development debate. It is an active player in global governance and development fora, maintains an extensive development partnership with its region, and is a member of the BRICS Forum of emerging powers (along with Brazil, Russia, India and China). The 2009 announcement of a new South African Development Partnership Agency (SADPA) has also generated interest among traditional donors to work more closely with South Africa in regional development. While questions remain about the scope and composition of SADPA, it is clear that South Africa’s role as a development actor is growing, and more needs to be done to understand the contribution it can make towards tackling poverty and promoting sustainable development at the regional and global levels.