It is essential that all development partners in the region, including Member States and international agencies, seek to work in a way which maximises collective strengths and synergies.

The eight RECs recognised by the AU are the fundamental building blocks of regional and ultimately Pan-African integration. Given its broad mandate, which includes socio-economic development and poverty alleviation, SADC is a natural partner for DFID-SA. COMESA’s strong trade focus also make it a key interlocutor, especially on growth work. DFID-SA has also engaged with EAC, particularly in the context of the three RECs’ groundbreaking collaboration in the SADC-COMESA-EAC Tri-Partite.

While they are different organisations with diverse aims and organisational practices, SADC, COMESA and the EAC share common objectives around increasing intra-Africa trade to increase the prosperity of African citizens. Together they represent half of all the AU member states. The Tri-Partite therefore has huge potential to progress this aspect of the Pan-African agenda. Given the clear benefits of increasing market size and facilitating easier trade between member states, and the necessity of addressing infrastructure constraints above the national level, these are obvious areas for the three RECs to collaborate. Through providing a Secretariat function to the Tri-Partite and helping to convene the successful North South Corridor Conference in April 2009, DFID-SA has been able to play a constructive role in supporting the pioneering work of the Tri-Partite.

However, while the NSC Conference succeeded in securing $1.2 billion for regional infrastructure and trade facilitation, public finance is never going to be sufficient for the large scale infrastructure projects which are part of the Tri-Partite’s vision for the region. It will be essential that the RECs are able to also source private finance in order to implement their ambitious plans. DFID will consider whether there is a role for us in leveraging such resources, or whether we can encourage the kind of commercial investment which is needed.

DFID-SA has worked with the RECs individually through a number of different modalities, including direct funding, technical assistance, intermediary organisations and through the mechanism of the SADC-ICP sectoral groups. Other international agencies similarly undertake work with SADC, COMESA and EAC on various thematic issues and using different mechanisms. While this demonstrates their desire to support the RECs’ agendas, there is a risk that the demands of this multi-faceted engagement could become a drain on the limited capacity of the RECs, rather than the assistance that is intended. DFID-SA would like to explore with the RECs and other partners how the effectiveness of development assistance to regional bodies can be increased.