MWE Correspondent
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has called for stronger public-private partnerships to unlock investment opportunities across Southern Africa, a regional market with an estimated 380 million consumers.
The call was made on October 14, 2026, during a roundtable discussion on mobilising public and private capital for Africa, held in Bangkok, Thailand, on the sidelines of the 2026 Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group.
The meeting brought together development finance institutions and international partners to explore ways of increasing investment flows into Africa and addressing financing gaps that continue to constrain infrastructure development, industrialisation and regional economic integration.
The roundtable was jointly organised by Poland’s state-owned development bank, Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego (BGK), the Joint European Financiers for International Cooperation (JEFIC), Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP) and the Africa-Europe Foundation.
In his address, SADC Executive Secretary Elias Magosi called for predictable, transparent and investor-friendly business environments to attract more capital into the region. He also emphasised the importance of strengthening cooperation between African and European partners, governments, development finance institutions and private investors.
Magosi stressed that governments must establish effective policy and regulatory frameworks that enable development finance institutions to perform their roles in mobilising resources for economic development.
He also urged development finance institutions to align their financing strategies with national development priorities and take a more proactive role in identifying and supporting projects capable of attracting investment.
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A key issue highlighted during the discussions was the preparation of bankable projects. Magosi emphasised the need to shorten project preparation periods to between three and six months, arguing that investment opportunities must be properly structured and developed to attract financing.
Across Africa, infrastructure and development projects can face delays because of lengthy feasibility studies, regulatory requirements, funding constraints and inadequate technical preparation. These challenges can discourage investors even where demand for infrastructure and services is substantial.
Development banks can help address these barriers through project preparation support, guarantees, blended finance, technical assistance and financing arrangements tailored to the needs of specific projects. Such instruments can reduce investment risks and help attract private capital into sectors that might otherwise struggle to secure funding.
For SADC, stronger investment partnerships could support transport networks, energy infrastructure, agriculture, manufacturing and cross-border trade, while helping countries benefit from a larger regional market.
Regional integration is a central objective of SADC, which seeks to improve cooperation among member states, expand trade and facilitate the movement of goods, services and investment. Better-connected markets can help businesses reach more consumers, strengthen regional value chains and create employment opportunities.
However, unlocking the region’s economic potential will require more than attracting capital. Governments must also ensure policy consistency, regulatory transparency, effective project implementation and accountability in the use of public resources.
The Bangkok discussions highlighted the importance of coordinated action between governments, development finance institutions and private investors in turning Africa’s investment opportunities into viable projects.
SADC’s call reflects a broader effort to strengthen Africa-Europe economic cooperation and mobilise the financing needed to accelerate sustainable development, improve infrastructure and expand economic opportunities across Southern Africa.
