Draft Regional Strategy Paper SADC-DFRC

Dr. Azadeh Kopp-Moini, Managing Director of XS-Axis Consulting GmbH was asked to develop a Regional Strategy paper based on the recognition of Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) as an important source of procurement for public services in many countries and the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The idea was to identify lessons learned from the review of other countries’ PPP policies, institutional settings and the legal issues, and to learn about the individual implications for SADC Member States.

Following the objective set by the Client, the Regional Strategy Paper was developed and formulated with a practical set of recommendations concerning PPP frameworks for Governments across SADC as a common point of departure for all those institutions, public bodies and entities involved. This paper’s structure begins with the overall rationale behind the need to define and institute clear policy, institutional as weell as legal frameworks. Followed-up by the examination of the current PPP status across 14 Member States to classify SADC countries into 4 categories in terms of PPP maturity level, the findings showed that although there was no harmonized understanding of the term, scope and role of PPPs – there were some commonalities and good practice lessons related to key factors of a transparent PPP framework.

The paper recommended introducing a clear dividing line between the regulatory and oversight functions and the actual procurement of PPPs. It is important to establish clear appraisal and regulatory procedures in the PPP institutional framework, which is determined in large by a country’s cultural and historic context and legal structure. While there was no need for cross-cutting PPP laws, the legal framework must, however, sufficiently define the roles and powers of the awarding authorities, procuring agents, regulating bodies and approval entities.