Southern African Development Community Research Articles

Energy Consumption and Economic Growth: Evidence from SADC Countries

This article examined the nexus between energy consumption and economic growth in selected Southern African Development Community countries for the period 1980 to 2015. The study used both simple and multiple linear regression models to examine the relationship between the variables. The statistical results of the simple linear regression model between energy use and economic growth show a correlation coefficient of 0.060. This represents a weak positive correlation between the model variables. A coefficient of determination of 0.00476 depicts that energy use explains only 0.476% of the variability in the gross domestic product of countries investigated. The multiple linear regression model results show a multiple R of 0.3684, and an R2 of 0.1358. This also depicts a weak positive correlation between the model variables. A coefficient of determination of 0.1358 means that energy use and electric power consumption accounts for only 13.58% of the values of the gross domestic product of selected Southern African Development Community countries and the balance is explained by the terms that are not specified in the model. This article is of value to policy makers in the region as well as the academia as it strives to close the gap in knowledge.

Institutions as a determinant of Foreign Direct Investment inflows into the Southern African Development Community

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Southern Africa has been one of the drivers of infrastructure development and economic growth especially in sectors such as mining, agriculture, energy, information, and communications technology (ICT). However, although important economic and institutional reforms have been undertaken by some SADC countries to encourage the inflow of FDI--particularly in low-income countries in the region, the flow of FDI to SADC member states remains low and concentrated in few countries and sectors and is still largely attracted to natural resources sectors. This paper examines the institutions and infrastructure development in the promotion of FDI inflows into the SADC region. Institutions and infrastructure development typically have a positive effect on FDI inflows through their impact on the investment climate. The paper uses panel data econometric analysis with OLS and PCSE to ascertain the impact of governance institutions on FDI inflows into the region. The results obtained reveal that the quality of governance, together with the level of economic development, market size, and openness to trade with the external world play a critical role in attracting FDI into SADC countries. There is however a need to control rampant corruption and reduce the political instability common in some of the countries of the region.

A bibliometric analysis of smallholder farmers’ climate change adaptation challenges: a SADC region outlook

Purpose This paper aims to explore pathways in which adaptation challenges may occur. Focus is on the barriers to adaptation, challenges to adaptation and maladaptation with reference to smallholder farmers in the Southern African Development Community region. Design/methodology/approach Bibliometric analysis techniques were used to track the literature on smallholder farmers’ adaptation challenges. Web of Science was the main data source. A total of 41 articles were retained for analysis and exported into Visualization of Similarities Viewer Software where the development of research on the subject, co-occurrence of keywords analysis, top publishers, citations and total link strength was done. Findings Results indicate that research on smallholder farmers’ adaptation challenges is not new but has gained more consideration post-2020. The main adaptation challenges emanate from perception barriers and constraints based on determinants of adoption, limitations for resilience building and achieving sustainable adaptation as well as contestations around Climate Smart Agriculture technologies. Practical implications Effective design of adaptation policies should center on prioritizing the needs of the local people. This would reduce the occurrences of smallholder farmers’ adaptation challenges, promote resilience building and contribute toward achieving sustainable adaptation. Originality/value It is equally important to document adaptation challenges. However, adaptation challenges are rarely shared with the same enthusiasm as its successes. This work focuses on the matter with the intention of conscientizing smallholder farmers to reduce the risk of repeating the same adaptation mistakes.

Government Health Expenditure and Maternal Mortality: The Moderating Role of External Debt.

The impact of government health spending and external debt on maternal mortality has been the subject of ongoing theoretical and empirical discussions. However, this relationship has remained controversial with no perspective on the moderating role of external debt on the government's health expenditure and maternal mortality link. This study examines the moderating effect of external debt on the government's health expenditure and maternal mortality relation using data from 13 Southern African economies spanning from 2000 to 2022. We employed the augmented mean group, the dynamic common correlation effect mean group, and the Driscoll-Kraay and Granger causality techniques to attain the study's objective. The outcome revealed that government health expenditure and external debt reduce maternal mortality in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. Equally, the magnitude of government health spending is moderated by external debt. The results revealed a bidirectional relation amidst maternal mortality and government health expenditure, and maternal mortality and external debt. The study recommends that policymakers within the SADC zone should avoid austerity measures and encourage expansionary measures in terms of spending, and the contraction of debt for capital investment in the health sector. This will enhance the delivery of health services within the zone and equally reduce the rate of maternal mortality that is still a major health concern within the sub-region.

Determinants of foreign direct investment in SADC region: Case of financial development, institutions and openness

Background: Countries in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region have experienced low growth coupled with high levels of poverty and inequality. Economic growth has been touted as one of the major factors to deal with these problems. However, the lack of financial resources has hampered the efforts to achieve high levels of growth. This has therefore resulted in the countries putting much effort on attracting foreign capital.Aim: The study aims to investigate the extent to which financial development (FSD), financial openness, and institutional quality determine the inflow of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the SADC region.Setting: The study focuses on 15 countries in the SADC region from 2008 to 2022.Method: The study employs the Generalised Method of Moments (GMM) technique given the problem of endogeneity between the variables of interest.Results: The findings from the study indicate that FSD and financial openness are important factors determining the flow of FDI to the SADC region. On the other hand, the effect of institutions was found to be significant when taking into account the state of FSD and financial openness.Conclusion: Policymakers are encouraged to focus on enhancing institutional frameworks, promoting FSD, and increasing financial openness to optimise capital inflows.Contribution: The study contributes to the available studies by incorporating the role that is played by institutional quality and financial openness to the modelling. This becomes important as the region aims at attracting more foreign capital so as to improve growth as domestic capital supply falls short of domestic capital demand.

Examining the Relationship Between Mobile Cellular Subscriptions and Inclusive Growth: SADC Members

Abstract Inclusive growth had faced global challenges in social and gender disparities issues, especially in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region, which affects its administrations and distributions in modern development contexts. Recognised international institutions have used the term inclusive growth as a description of growth that is formed through labor force and distributions focusing on well-being. This study examines the relationship between mobile cellular subscriptions and inclusive growth to improve the standard of living using a panel autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) approach from 2000 to 2020. The economic growth context studies applied were unable to capture the demand for improving welfare and expectations to lessen poverty, while promoting inclusivity for SADC. Moreover, SADC economic growth partially dealt with the inclusive growth challenges of network connectivity, poor household benefit sharing, and a fast-growing population by applying non-validated methods that were useful to measure economic growth but fail to respond to inclusive growth. The World Bank (WB) and International Telecommunication Union (ITU) databases were used to identify that there is a positive and statistically significant relationship between mobile cellular subscriptions and inclusive growth in the long run. The findings of this study contribute by clarifying and urging policymakers and researchers concerned about equitable economic development to incorporate this sufficient to the relevant upbringing of communication channels to embrace inclusive growth opportunities to expand inclusive growth rapport and channels.

Investigating the Foreign-Ownership Influence on the Growth of Firms in Southern African Development Community

Investigating the Foreign-Ownership Influence on the Growth of Firms in Southern African Development Community

Assessment of SADC Countries' National Adaptation Planning Health Impacts Inclusion: A Thorough Review.

Background: The impacts of climate change are recognised as a key challenge of the 21st century. By 2030, Sub-Saharan Africa is projected to have the globally highest burden of disease due to climate change. Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), a sub-region under-represented at a global level, in addressing current and future climate change-related health impacts. It specifically assesses the NAPs of Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. Methods: A thorough review was conducted, analysing articles, government reports, and national communications related to NAPs and climate change health outcomes in the selected countries. Sources were evaluated against pre-defined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Main findings: All five countries prioritised health in their NAPs; however, health departments were excluded from assessments in two of the countries. Although health surveillance and early warning systems were included in the NAPs, there was limited evidence of their integration into broader climate, health, economic, and labour policies. National climate change focal points were identified, but governance and implementation at district and local levels were not well-documented. This review highlighted a need for greater inclusion of Indigenous and locally led knowledge. Common barriers identified included the lack of data with appropriate frequency and scale. Governance and implementation difficulties were also identified in all five countries; these difficulties included both a lack of coordination and a lack of institutional capacity. These challenges, especially a lack of political will to address the compound impacts of altered climate and health on all earth systems, are also found at the regional level. Conclusions: National strategies and implementation programs in SADC countries need to be agile in their ability to scale and adapt, yet they also need to include measurable actions and timeframes. Given the shared climate and health trends and the interconnected socio-economic, environmental, and political landscape, there is significant potential for regional coordination to address cross-border climate change impacts and to optimise resource use.

Climate Change and SADC`s Role in Malawi: A Brief Situational Analysis after Cyclone Freddy

The economic integration process of the Southern African Development Community is being affected by the damage caused by storms and floods in the region. The study looked at the role of the Southern African Development Community in the aftermath of Tropical Cyclone Freddy. The aim of the research is to provide an overview of the response of the Southern African Development Community to Cyclone Freddy in Malawi, based on secondary data published in newspapers, reports, articles and research papers. The need for assistance in the country increased because of the economic, social and infrastructural development that was affected by the storm. The study shows that the Southern African Development Community didn't play much of a role in providing emergency assistance. The study found that the Southern African Development Community has invested a lot in climate change and adaptation measures rather than responding quickly to the impact of storms in the country. The establishment of a good office in the Southern African Development Community would be important in the event of a storm in the region.

Barriers to National Surgical Healthcare Policy Development & Implementation in the Southern African Development Community

Barriers to National Surgical Healthcare Policy Development & Implementation in the Southern African Development Community

Michael Kretzer & Russell Kaschula (eds): Handbook of language policy and education in countries of the Southern African development community (SADC)

Michael Kretzer & Russell Kaschula (eds): Handbook of language policy and education in countries of the Southern African development community (SADC)

Resolving labour disputes within african international organizations

The article describes the internal mechanisms for resolving labour disputes between staff and administration within african international intergovernmental organisations, such as: African Union, Southern African Development Community, Economic Community of West African States. It is indicated that within the African Union there are informal and formal stages of dispute resolution – an appeal for review to the chairperson or competent authority of any other body and an appeal to the Administrative Tribunal. It is noted that the Administrative Tribunal is competent to consider applications for violations of the Staff Rules and Regulations; non-observance of contracts of employment and any other acts of employment; and, in certain cases, complaints about disciplinary sanctions. It is emphasised that the feature of protection of labour rights of the African Union staff is the provision enshrined in the Staff Rules and Regulations, according to which a staff member may, under certain circumstances, appeal to the African Court of Justice and Human Rights. It is stated that the Southern African Development Community Administrative Tribunal has jurisdiction to hear and resolve labour disputes between the Community Secretariat and any of its institutions. The Tribunal has two levels: First Instance and Appeal Board. It is noted that the system of internal labour dispute resolution of the Economic Community of West African States provides for the submission of an application for review, hierarchical recourse, and referral of the case to the Committee for Conciliation of Staff and Dispute Resolution. An Inter-Institutional Appeals Committee is established to deal with disciplinary appeals in relation to the application of the Staff Regulations, to which employees or their next of kin can apply. It is stated that the staff of any institution may apply to the Court of Justice of the Community after the staff member has exhausted all appeal procedures available to the official under the ECOWAS Staff Rules and Regulations.

Understanding the complexities of technological penetration and globalisation on labour market performance: The role of complementary policies

Understanding the impact of technological penetration and globalisation on wage differentials and employment is crucial for developing countries aiming for sustainable economic growth and reduced unemployment rates. This study investigates these effects in the Southern African Development Community. It also examines the role of complementary policies, such as financial development and human capital, and their interactive effects with technological penetration on wages and employment. The study employs panel fully modified least squares, dynamic least squares, and Driscoll-Kraay's standard error as a robustness check. Results indicate that technological penetration, financial development, and the interactive effect of human capital and technological penetration negatively affect employment. Conversely, globalisation and the interactive effect of financial development and technological penetration positively influence employment. Technological penetration is insignificant in the wage equation, while human capital, globalisation, and financial development are associated with wage increases. The interactive effect of technological penetration and human capital is not significant, and the interactive effect of financial development and technological penetration negatively impacts wages. Based on the findings, the study recommends enhancing financial development and human capital while carefully managing technological integration to navigate the complexities of technological and global economic integration to maximise employment and wage benefits.

Teachers’ challenges encountered in the marketisation of education systems at primary schools in the Mbare-Hatfield district

Different forms of markertisation and privatisation have encircled the teaching profession. Internet sites that offer to produce academic work for a fee make academic work into a commodity that can be bought and sold. Most schools in Zimbabwe, the Southern African Development Community region, Africa, and beyond cannot easily afford internet services. This study explored the teachers’ challenges in understanding the educational systems due to the marketisation of education. This study utilized the mixed methods approach and the case study design because of its strength in discovering more about unexplored problems. Two school head participants and forty teachers were selected from schools in the district. Semi-structured interviews and questionnaires were used to get data from the research participants. The results unearthed that the education system is one such tool for perpetuating class divisions and social inequality. Contemporary literature has provided evidence in the exploration of teachers’ challenges encountered in the marketisation of education. To the extent that I have reviewed the literature, I found a substantial gap in knowledge about the impact of the challenges encountered in the marketisation of education. The study's objective was to determine the challenges teachers face in giving equal opportunities to poor and minority students due to the marketisation of education. There are some gaps caused by digital divides and government withdrawal from funding for public schools since the early 1990s when ESAP was embraced as an economic blueprint. The marketisation of education has negatively affected teacher integrity, sometimes leading to teacher misconduct. In recent years, the professional status of teachers seems to have been compromised. This is probably due to the changing nature of teacher professional work. Modern-day teaching practices are embroiled in an increasing struggle for private gain. Teachers must learn to cross social boundaries to make learning meaningful and relevant for all students.

Can teleconnections help to improve the seasonal prediction over the Southern African Development Community Region?

The limited skill of seasonal climate predictions in some regions of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) restricts their potential application to the development of climate services. This study explores the feasibility of improving the quality of these predictions by using the observed relationship between Essential Climate Variables (ECVs) and large-scale teleconnection indices, namely Niño3.4, the Atlantic Niño and the Indian Ocean Dipole. The underlying hypothesis is that, for certain areas, the empirical observed teleconnections could improve the predictions offered by the seasonal forecasting systems. This is achieved by implementing linear regression models between each index and ECV, for up to 12 months into the past, and for each season and grid point. After obtaining the index-derived estimates of the variables, the correlation coefficients and fair Ranked Probability Skill Scores (fRPSS) are computed and compared to those of the ECMWF SEAS5 (SEAS5) predictions for different lead times. The results show that 10–25 % of the entire domain exhibits improved correlations for the index-derived precipitation in all seasons. In the case of temperature, though, higher correlations could be observed only in six seasons (and solely for Niño3.4). Regarding fRPSS, up to 7 % of the entire area shows an improvement when using Niño3.4 to estimate temperature (in four seasons). Conversely, for precipitation there is no detected enhancement. In future work, it would be worth investigating whether a combined multi-index regression can further raise the observed increase in performance.

Procuring for Pandemics through Joint Procurement Association in the European Union: Lessons for the Southern African Development Community and the East African Community

ABSTRACT Procuring for the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa has been devastating. The virus resulted in an unprecedented surge in demand for medicines, medical equipment, and relevant technologies, making individual country orders for health supplies impossible and requiring creating the need for an interstate pooled strategy. This article examines the working of Joint Procurement Association (JPA), an interstate pooled sourcing strategy in the European Union (EU) and to draw lessons for regional blocs like the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the East African Community (EAC). This article indicates that while the EU has implemented and enjoyed JPA, regional blocs like the SADC and EAC have not and could be missing on the benefits provided by JPAs. The article concludes that while JPAs have not been adopted in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), they possess the potential to improve access to medical drugs equipment and technologies in pandemic times. To implement JPAs, political will, legal and regulatory frameworks, and governance structures are required. The outcome of the article is important to SADC and EAC Secretariats since the understanding and implementation of JPAs can enable member states whose budgets are stressed to derive economies of scale.

Implications of the Global Race to Net-Zero by 2050 for the Strategic Fleet of Coal-Fired Power Plants in SADC

This paper discusses the coal-fired power plants (CFPPs) in the Southern African Development Community (SADC), in the context of the net-zero by 2050 initiative. It describes recent global climate change responses impacting the operation of CFPPs, and the medium-to-long term prospects for coal power. The paper then discusses the motivators and strategies for sustaining the operations of CFPPs in SADC, and why the international community has to let countries in the region and other small developing nations, transition to renewable energies at a more measured pace. It also offers actionable insights on sustainable financing options for upgrading the region’s CFPPs and just energy transitions. Following a balanced assessment of the facts and broad issues discussed herein including the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 7, 10, 13, and 17; the paper concludes that most of the CFPPs in SADC are likely to remain operational way beyond the phase out deadlines despite lacking emissions abatement technologies. The pressing and burgeoning need for electricity and the huge coal reserves in the region are the determinants, rather than international norms or political correctness. However, no development institution or major country will finance any new CFPP projects in SADC, but renewable energy projects instead. Thus, national energy policymakers and power utilities in the region are recommended to revise the current energy policies to include renewable energy expansion and obliterate any mentions of proposed or planned CFPPs. SADC governments need to engage in public dissemination campaigns about the impending energy transition implications for all citizens and map out pragmatic cushioning strategies. Concurrently, they need to support innovations and entrepreneurship in renewable energies and work on improving national creditworthiness scores, to attract climate finance.

Lifelong Learning among Students in the Context of COVID-19: A Case Study of the SADC Region

COVID-19 has disrupted the process of teaching and learning across the globe, posing significant challenges to educational institutions worldwide. Some universities in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region faced difficulties in transitioning to online learning, which adversely affected students' academic progress. The pandemic intensified the existing inequalities in the SADC region, further marginalising students from disadvantaged backgrounds and impeding their access to quality education. However, despite the adverse effects of COVID-19 on traditional contact-based learning, students managed to acquire a new set of skills necessary for navigating the digital age. Moreover, the pandemic presented opportunities for students in the SADC region to develop essential skills for participation in the mainstream economy. This study examines how COVID-19 disrupted students' academic development, and the lessons that students learnt during the pandemic in the SADC countries, with a special focus on South Africa and Zimbabwe. The study concludes by highlighting the interventions adopted by higher education institutions in the SADC region to support students in the context of COVID-19. Methodologically, this study employed secondary data analysis, including policies and existing literature. The findings reveal that students learnt new and innovative ways of studying during the pandemic. This study is underpinned by the self-directed learning theory, which emphasises the importance of self-reliance among students. An important recommendation concerns implementing policies within SADC to promote lifelong learning among students, both during and after COVID-19. In addition, the study proposes that higher education institutions establish tech-innovation hubs on campuses, where students can interact and acquire new skills needed in the digital age.

Sovereignty construction in ECOWAS and SADC: Implications for governance and institutional structures

ABSTRACT This article compares sovereignty construction within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), analysing how their differing approaches have shaped their governance and institutional frameworks. It argues that the historical contexts behind the formation and evolution of these two organisations have led to distinct sovereignty constructions. ECOWAS, established with a strong focus on regional integration, saw member states willingly cede aspects of their sovereignty for the collective regional benefit. In contrast, SADC, initially formed as a solidarity group against apartheid, adopted a more cautious and less defined approach to sovereignty. These historical differences are reflected in the sovereignty frameworks of their respective founding treaties. While subsequent revisions to those founding documents have expanded both organisations’ scopes and mandates, their approaches to member sovereignty have continued to diverge, shaped by different historical and normative influences, with implications for governance within each region.

Foreign Divestment, Domestic Investment, and Economic Growth Relationship in Southern African Development Community During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Panel Ardl Approach

Foreign Divestment, Domestic Investment, and Economic Growth Relationship in Southern African Development Community During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Panel Ardl Approach