A strategic framework to expand South Africa’s services trade

Abstract

ABSTRACT The South African government acknowledges that services could become a major driver of economic growth and has called for the development of a comprehensive strategic framework and action plan for the export development and promotion of South Africa’s service sectors. This article contributes to this goal by proposing a broad strategic framework to help leverage the power of services, particularly services exports. Based on a study of South Africa’s services trade and the nature of the services economy in the country, the article offers policy advice for the key stakeholders in the country’s services network. It also offers insights for other developing countries that are grappling with the challenge of developing their services sector as a way of diversifying their economies and finding new forms of competitive advantage.