Trilateral Assitance Programs

Trilateral Assistance Program

Implementer: Government of South Africa (GoSA) Departments
GoSA Counterpart: National Treasury: Chief Directorate International Development Cooperation
Duration: September 2009 - September 2013
Funding to Date: $4 million 
Field AM/A-AM: Paula van Dyk
Field Program Manager: Blake Chrystal

With Peace and Security funding, the Trilateral Assistance Program (TAP) allows USAID to support various small-scale development projects on the continent implemented by South African departments and agencies. Through these programs, the GoSA provides technical assistance to other countries in Africa to promote peace, democracy and development. USAID is maximizing its development resources across the continent by supporting the GoSA to further our development priorities. This partnership is important politically to the USG in terms of cementing a sound relationship with South Africa given their significant influence in the African Union, the Southern African Development Community and the United Nations Security Council. The program provides a platform for the GoSA to enhance its capacity to promote and strengthen democratic norms, rule of law, good governance and human rights on the continent. Fifteen trilateral assistance projects have been approved under this mechanism- seven which were implemented in 2009-2011.

Eight trilateral activities are being implemented in FY 2012, including support for the GoSA to provide assistance on constitutional development in southern Sudan, address food security issues in Mozambique, improving the adjudication of gender based violence in Malawi and Angola, building the capacity of the Southern Africa Development Community to respond to global climate change, assessing human health risks in trans-boundary water catchment areas in southern Africa, and piloting conservation agriculture through a livestock grazing project in southern Zimbabwe.