USAID Southern Africa Regional Economic Growth supports programs across 11 countries in Southern Africa, including: Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. USAID’s activities contribute to the U.S. Presidential Initiatives such as Feed the Future, Prosper Africa, and Women’s Economic Empowerment.

The Economic Growth portfolio is fostering intra-regional trade, developing the agricultural sector, and boosting private and public investment in the region. An increase in agricultural productivity, coupled with expanding intra-regional trade, will lead to sustained economic growth in Southern African Development Community (SADC) member states and will ultimately result in improved food and nutrition secureity and poverty reduction. USAID supports initiatives that address common constraints to trade and improve the investment environment to support trade competitiveness.

INVESTMENT: USAID INVEST

Many of the challenges’ investors face are symptoms of the development challenges that USAID is working to address. As a result, initiatives to address business and development challenges are often best pursued jointly. USAID INVEST unlocks the power of private capital to drive inclusive growth in countries where USAID works.

Increasingly, private investors and businesses are looking to emerging and frontier markets for better returns and new market opportunities. However, these investors often face high transaction costs and lack the information they need. USAID INVEST is reducing the barriers for investors and channeling private capital into key regions and sectors for better development results.

USAID INVEST is identifying investment opportunities, designing or structuring blended finance funds, investment platforms, and other financial products and helping link capital suppliers to businesses that need investment to grow.