South Africa—Technical Assistance for the EU-South Africa Dialogue Facility

This project enables the strategic partnership that has existed between the European Union and South Africa since 2007. The project directly follows the Trade, Development, and Cooperation Agreement’s Dialogue facility (TDCA, 2011-2015) and the Bridging Facility (2015-2016). The initial TDCA Facility was launched as a pilot programme, as policy dialogue was a new concept, but since its launch demands for support have steadily increased. With each successive round of calls for proposals attracting greater and greater interest from a wider variety of departments seeking technical assistance.

The project builds relationships between decision-makers and is essentially the key means of implementing international partnerships between South Africa and the European Union. The project is expected to guarantee clear and transparent governance around the call for proposals processes and ensure that our team can optimize the focus and impact of the political dialogue between the European Union and the Republic of South Africa.

Sample Activities

• Improve sectoral policy dialogue between the EU and South Africa.
• Increase institutional capacity to help implement the areas of cooperation of the TDCA, the Strategic Partnership Joint Action Plan and the SADC EPA.
• Increase awareness and understanding of the TDCA, the Strategic Partnership Joint Action Plan and the EPA.

Select Results

• Supported the implementation of 16 approved dialogues—the highest number of concurrently running dialogues since the inception of the first phase of the Dialogue Facility in 2011. The 16 events comprised a total of 21 dialogue days with 1,587 delegates participating.
• Arranged dialogue study tours to seven EU Member States.
• Reported an overall general dialogue experience rating of 89 percent satisfaction (with the South African Police Services Cybercrime dialogue rated at the highest satisfaction level of 98 percent).
• Recorded the highest number of delegates at the Public Service Commission dialogue on Values and Ethics in the Public Sector, with 189 delegates attending on the first day and 162 on the second day. The Minister of Public Administration opened the dialogue conference.
• Developed a procurement strategy that benefits youth and women empowerment by supporting community-based small and micro enterprises as well as the use of environmentally friendly and sustainable materials.