Making natural resources work for inclusive growth and sustainable development in Southern Africa

Abstract

This report presents the findings of a study to consider how best the region can make natural resources work for inclusive growth and sustainable development. It proffers national and regional level recommendations to accelerate progress towards inclusive growth and development. The ECA Sub regional Office for Southern Africa (SRO-SA) commissioned this study, with the overall aim of ascertaining how SADC Member States can utilize the benefits of natural resources exploitation to promote inclusive growth. The report defines inclusive growth as growth where all people in a given geographical area are equitably facilitated with conditions and opportunities to actively, efficiently and responsibly apply their abilities during their functional lifetime to utilize natural resources for their livelihoods and enjoy benefits from these resources throughout their lifetime without undue internally induced hindrance on sustainable basis. This definition provides the boundary parameters for the analysis and the overall evaluation presented herein.