[{"bbox": [111, 76, 1147, 238], "category": "Text", "text": "Sustained low levels of investment and growth, exacerbated by the socio-economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, have worsened the challenges in the SA economy. SA's current unemployment rate is at its highest level with more than 34.5% of working aged adults not in employment (ca. 11 million people with discouraged work-seekers). The country's youth, women and historically disadvantaged population groups are the most affected by these challenges. Women are more likely to work in lower-paid jobs and the informal economy, are more often affected by poverty and at risk of experiencing gender based violence (GBV)."}, {"bbox": [111, 261, 1147, 397], "category": "Text", "text": "Funding research for evidence-based, inclusive and gender-responsive policy making and evaluation is a pertinent support for the National Treasury as it navigates the current challenges. Support to the Research Councils will strengthen research capacities in SA and linkages with EU based institutions, enabling research on imminent priorities, including those identified in relation to overarching priorities like the Just and Green Transition and reducing inequalities."}, {"bbox": [111, 420, 1147, 556], "category": "Text", "text": "The Erasmus+ support facility will help maintain the important collaborations between students, academics and researchers at SA and European institutions of higher learning. Due to the increasingly cross-country nature of Erasmus+ programmes, this will also enable SA to continue to offer other African countries the benefits of its world class universities, facilitating further regional exchange. Support will be extended to increase the participation of traditionally disadvantaged groups, a contribution to addressing inequality."}, {"bbox": [111, 580, 1147, 795], "category": "Text", "text": "The ambition to deepen regional integration at the level of SADC and beyond, such as through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), is not always matched by comprehensive and consistent engagement by all stakeholders on all policy areas. Especially civil society's level of engagement is subject to ebbs and flows, also dependent on availability of resources. The proposed grant will provide a basis for SA CS, including women and youth organisations, to engage on a number of pertinent regional issues, including those that the EU has great interest in, such as peace and security, migration, climate action, community participation in planning and implementation of activities along the Durban-Lusaka corridor (Global Gateway), cross-border management of protected areas etc."}, {"bbox": [111, 818, 1147, 874], "category": "Text", "text": "The action aims at working in a catalytic manner where the investment of modest resources can bring about substantial impact in areas where such windows of opportunity are jointly identified."}, {"bbox": [100, 912, 355, 944], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## 2.2 Problem Analysis"}, {"bbox": [111, 960, 333, 988], "category": "Text", "text": "Short problem analysis:"}, {"bbox": [111, 1011, 1147, 1147], "category": "Text", "text": "The action responds to SA's ambitions expressed in the \"National Development Plan – Vision 2030\", including to establish a \"capable and developmental state\" that works to \"eliminate poverty and reduce inequality\" and promotes \"active citizenry to strengthen development, democracy and accountability\". The action tackles identified obstacles, including the unevenness of capacity in the public sector, and insufficient evidence-base of policy-making."}, {"bbox": [111, 1146, 1147, 1333], "category": "Text", "text": "The action is also conceived to respond to the analysis that 15 years after the establishing of the EU-SA SP, the implementation of the same remains somewhat fragmented and uneven. Rather than operationalising high-level commitments in programmes, the action proposes to reverse the sequencing and make the SP concrete and relatable at individual and institutional levels to then elevate experience and evidence to the higher policy and political level. Dialogue projects, implementation of small pilot interventions, research collaboration and people-to-people exchanges will demonstrate the value of the SP and build relations, networks and trust that can be leveraged for joint initiatives within the region."}, {"bbox": [111, 1358, 1085, 1412], "category": "Text", "text": "Identification of main stakeholders and corresponding institutional and/or organisational issues (mandates, potential roles, and capacities) to be covered by the action"}, {"bbox": [111, 1437, 1125, 1492], "category": "Text", "text": "The action will work with a variety of stakeholders, state and non-state actors alike. Private sector entities may also be involved in some dialogues and/or research projects."}, {"bbox": [111, 1516, 1142, 1599], "category": "Text", "text": "**National Treasury (NT)** will be the signatory of the Financing Agreement. Jointly with the EU Delegation, it will steer the overall action. It will also benefit directly from economic research and will manage the Programme Estimate that provides funding to DF pilot projects."}, {"bbox": [111, 1597, 1078, 1648], "category": "Text", "text": "**DIRCO** will be the co-chair for the DF which will benefit a wide range of GoSA departments and other Government institutions on a demand-driven basis."}, {"bbox": [1051, 1665, 1157, 1691], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 5 of 21"}]