Investment Legal Framework

Box 1: Investment Legal Framework in the SADC region

• About 12 SADC Member States have specific laws governing private investment, foreign investment or the establishment of an investment promotion agency;

• Countries with no specific FDI legislation but liberal regimes = South Africa, Lesotho and Botswana;

• Review of the Industrial Development Act which deals with licensing is under way in Botswana;

• FDI legislation is under review in Namibia, Seychelles and Zimbabwe;

• Most Member States have a Ministry is responsible for investment policy;

• Most Member States have an independent agency responsible for implementing policy and investment promotion;

• Namibia and South Africa have a unit within a Ministry responsible for investment promotion;

• South Africa’s provincial governments have investment promotion agencies;

• Zanzibar and Tanzania (mainland) have separate investment promotion agencies;