Rethinking the Regional Development Opportunities and Challenges in Southern Africa
The Southern Africa Regional Science Association (SARSA), in collaboration with the Regional Science Association International (RSAI), Regional Science Policy & Practice (RSPP) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development through the National Directorate of Local Economic Development is holding the 2nd international conference on Rethinking the Regional Development Opportunities and Challenges in Southern Africa. Despite varied developmental challenges experienced in the region, opportunities to address them abound. These include the re-conceptualization of regional planning as a powerful tool with the potential to address regional development problems in Southern Africa, renew the interest amongst practitioners to think, undertake research, and operate regionally (Odero, 2001; Scholvin et al., 2022), training regional scientists in tertiary institutions with the skills required in regional development practice, creating databases with a regional focus, formulating and implementing regionally-based policies, and undertaking rigorous research on Southern Africa’s experiences in regional development and prospects (Chazireni, 2003).
Regions are inherently fluid spaces, making it difficult to have a one-size-fits-all approach to their development. With the increasing attention and focus on sustainability, resilience, and inclusivity espoused in the sustainable development goals, it becomes critical to interrogate how Southern African regions are constrained and the opportunities they provide in enhancing these aspirations.
Papers presented at the conference will be published in a special issue in one of RSAI journals: Regional Science Policy and Practice. The special issue aims to enhance our understanding of the inhibitors of sustainable regional development in Southern Africa and evaluate the opportunities available to address the prevailing regional development challenges.
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