Tags: Bank, Strategy, South Africa

The Country Strategy Paper (CSP) for South Africa covering 2008–2012 (ADB/BD/WP/208/12-Revised), dated February 2008, was approved by the Board of Directors on 9th April 2008. In approving the CSP, the Board provided guidance relating to the need to (i) further strengthen the strategy with concrete deliverables, (ii) focus more on areas where the Bank has comparative advantage, such as improved financial intermediation services for SMEs development, and (iii) ensure that the study on the impact of South Africa on its neighbours is conducted. The Board requested Management to submit an update of the CSP by twelve months to reflect these issues. Management could not submit the update within the specified 12 months mainly due to the fact that elections were being held in April 2009 and it was deemed necessary to reflect the strategic direction of the incoming administration in the updated CSP. Other partners including the World Bank took a similar stance.

This document, in addressing the issues raised by the Board, combines the aspects of a review of the implementation of the strategy over the past sixteen months, as well as providing an update of the strategy and deliverables for the rest of the CSP period. The document also reflects the priorities of the new administration as outlined in the Medium-Term Strategic Framework (MTSF) launched in July 2009, as well as the impact of the global financial and economic crisis on the South African economy. Furthermore, an assessment of South Africa as a hub for regional integration and development in Southern Africa was undertaken as an input into the preparation of this document and is presented in Annex 9. The preparation process of the study on the impact of South Africa on the neighbouring countries has been initiated in the context of the Regional Integration Assistance Strategy (RIAS) for Eastern and Southern Africa.

Republic Of South Africa Results-Based Country Strategy Paper, 2008 - 2012.pdf