Suchergebnisse

AbstractResilience in regional economic growth in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) can potentially be increased through the implementation of a regional policy which emphasizes regional integration. This will include the removal of tariff and non‐tariff based barriers to trade through trade liberalization and designing more efficient spatial linkages that facilitate increased intra‐regional trade. However, resilience in the region's economic growth is hindered by sluggish implementation of regional trade liberalization and spatial integration policies, as tariff and non‐tariff barriers to trade remain. The aim of the paper is to evaluate regional integration in fostering resilience in economic growth through its enhancement of economic interaction between member states, as well as facilitating increased spatial connectivity and the efficient movement of intra‐regional trade. In this paper, case studies of regional integration models as applied in eight developing country regional trading blocs, including the SADC, are used to determine the effect of intra‐regional trade on the resilience of economic growth in the face of an external economic crisis, namely the 2008 Global Financial Crisis and subsequent recession. Results of the above analysis indicate that intra‐regional trade through regional integration accelerates a region's recovery of its pre‐shock growth path. Despite considerable intra‐regional trade, the recovery of the SADC is hindered by the sluggish post‐shock growth of South Africa, its dominant economy. Based on the findings, it is recommended that intra‐regional trade be strengthened between SADC member states through increased economic integration, trade facilitation through development corridors, and capacitating dynamic regional institutions to oversee economic resilience strategies based on adjustment and adaptation.

Resilience in regional economic growth in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) can potentially be increased through the implementation of a regional policy which emphasizes regional integration. This will include the removal of tariff and non-tariff based barriers to trade through trade liberalization and designing more efficient spatial linkages that facilitate increased intra-regional trade. However, resilience in the region's economic growth is hindered by sluggish implementation of regional trade liberalization and spatial integration policies, as tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade remain. The aim of the paper is to evaluate regional integration in fostering resilience in economic growth through its enhancement of economic interaction between member states, as well as facilitating increased spatial connectivity and the efficient movement of intra-regional trade. In this paper, case studies of regional integration models as applied in eight developing country regional trading blocs, including the SADC, are used to determine the effect of intra-regional trade on the resilience of economic growth in the face of an external economic crisis, namely the 2008 Global Financial Crisis and subsequent recession. Results of the above analysis indicate that intra-regional trade through regional integration accelerates a region's recovery of its pre-shock growth path. Despite considerable intra-regional trade, the recovery of the SADC is hindered by the sluggish post-shock growth of South Africa, its dominant economy. Based on the findings, it is recommended that intra-regional trade be strengthened between SADC member states through increased economic integration, trade facilitation through development corridors, and capacitating dynamic regional institutions to oversee economic resilience strategies based on adjustment and adaptation

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) and its member countries are potentially vulnerable to external disturbances, including environmental, economic, and social shocks. Regional policy emphasizes interventions to ensure long-term growth and development in the face of potential disturbance. Current emphasis is placed on mitigating the impact of climate change, including the creation of the SADC Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan. However, the need for long-term adaptation and associated policy is evident to reduce regional vulnerabilities. Research is an important source of evidence to support policymaking, with specific importance to institutions in developing regions such as the SADC and during times of global change and disruption. SADC development policy related to resilience outcomes ought to be informed by research. This paper investigates the extent to which existing research supports regional resilience policymaking. Objectives include investigating available research on resilience in the SADC, identifying potential limitations, and delineating areas of future research to be considered by researchers that contribute to knowledge and evidence creation. A bibliometric review and selective content review of existing research were utilized. Relevant publications for the aforesaid analysis were delineated using the source concepts "resilience", "adaptation", "adaptability", and "Southern African Development Community" (or "SADC"). Using the SCOPUS database, bibliometric data of 65 publications were imported into the VOSviewer application (v.1.6.17). Keyword occurrences and network and overlay visualizations were applied to identify the research themes underlying current research. The findings, which were supported by the selective content review, indicate that existing research focuses primarily on environmental and social disturbances, while the applicable regional planning scale and development policy are considered to a limited extent. Areas of future research ought to create evidence that is thematically relevant to policy areas and applicable to policy interventions, which necessitates increased research on economic disturbances, a broadening of existing themes to the appropriate regional planning scale, and consideration of explicit regional development objectives and policy. Transdisciplinarity ought to be central to future research on the diverse disturbances facing the region, while researchers ought to leverage knowledge-creation opportunities catalyzed by SDG implementation.