Southern Africa Regional Office

La direction régionale Afrique australe, basée à Johannesbourg, couvre dix pays de la région : Afrique du Sud, Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibie, Zambie et Zimbabwe. — © Cyril Le Tourneur d'Ison

AFD’s activities in Southern Africa span ten countries bordering the Indian and Atlantic Oceans, from Angola to Mozambique. The subregion includes several of the highest-income economies in sub-Saharan Africa and historically stable political systems. But it is also the most unequal region on the continent and highly vulnerable to climate change. In this context, AFD Group works to support a fair and sustainable energy transition, reduce inequalities and strengthen partnerships between Southern Africa and France.

Context

Southern Africa includes some of the continent’s wealthiest countries in terms of GDP per capita, driven largely by mineral wealth and diversified industrial sectors. The region is rich in biodiversity and natural resources, and South Africa serves as a major trade hub. Yet it remains the most unequal region in Africa, marked by sharp disparities in income, housing and employment. Persistent inequality, rapid urbanisation and youth unemployment make accelerated social and economic transformation a pressing necessity. Southern Africa is also highly vulnerable to climate change, with rising temperatures, recurrent droughts and growing water insecurity affecting agriculture and energy systems. As a result, the shift toward cleaner energy is gaining momentum, driven by climate finance, regional reforms and the need to build resilience.

Strategy

AFD Group supports the Southern African region by addressing common regional challenges with a focus on climate change, developing regional integration and addressing cross-border challenges. Strategic priorities include:

As part of its 100% Paris Agreement commitment, AFD Group supports low-carbon and resilient development in the region. In this way, it supports the energy transition of Southern African countries by promoting the development of renewable energies and encouraging the reduction of fossil fuel consumption. In order to improve the resilience of populations, we are strengthening our actions in favor of the sustainable management of natural resources, in particular water and biodiversity.

AFD Group supports local stakeholders in order to achieve more balanced territorial development that allows for better integration of disadvantaged populations and reduces inequalities by promoting access to housing, infrastructure and employment.

We work closely with three countries in the region (Angola, South Africa and Zimbabwe) to structure sustainable agri-food chains that create decent jobs in rural areas.

As part of its 100% Social Link commitment, AFD Group also seeks to develop its work in sport and culture. The aim is to mobilize young people and promote integration, gender equality and openness to the world.

AFD Group works to facilitate regional integration for shared economic development, better management of natural resources and knowledge sharing between countries in the region.

As the ten southern African countries are members of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), AFD Group intends to develop a partnership with this regional economic community that strengthens the socio-economic, political and security cooperation of member states. We are also following the development of the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) to determine the most relevant areas for cooperation in Southern Africa.

Finally, we promote the development of regional corridors, mainly in the sectors of energy, trade, tourism, transport, communication, and environmental protection.

AFD Group intends to continue supporting the private sector, which generates 70% of regional GDP. Through the initiatives of Choose Africa and Choose Africa Resilience, the Group will provide more financing solutions for African SMEs and French companies abroad.

It also contributes to the strengthening of financial markets, notably through the development of climate finance through its partnership with DBSA. This cooperation aims to strengthen the capacity of local banks to finance "green" or social impact projects (especially for women's empowerment,) to create leverage for a more environmentally friendly private sector, and to support employment.