UNDP South Africa

Website

UNDP South Africa UNDP South Africa is committed to promoting strategic partnership with the Government of the Republi

As the UN's global development organization, UNDP has a normative global mission, as a pro-poor development agency, to promote human rights, gender and the MDGs. As a cornerstone of its work, UNDP connects partner countries to knowledge, experience and resource networks that build capacity for pro-poor growth and human development. Further, as part of the UN Reforms process, UNDP has a mandate to lead the UN in system-wide coordination.

10/11/2026

Access is just the start—ownership is the goal.

Join UNDP at for a dialogue with women entrepreneurs, industry experts, and business leaders to break down how we transform systems so women can own capital, access high-value markets, and scale sustainably across Africa.

📍 CTICC, Cape Town

AfCFTA WomenEmpowerment CapeTownEvents

Eight Animation Studios. One Opportunity to Grow! The timbuktoo Creatives Hub Animation Studio Accelerator Programme has...
05/11/2026

Eight Animation Studios. One Opportunity to Grow!
 
The timbuktoo Creatives Hub Animation Studio Accelerator Programme has officially launched in Cape Town, welcoming eight selected animation studios!
 
Through industry mentorship and tailored business development support, participating studios will have opportunities to strengthen their investment readiness, scale their businesses, and explore international partnerships and new markets.
 
With support from the Government of Japan , the programme aims to strengthen South Africa’s animation industry by helping studios build sustainable businesses.
 

Every step forward begins with recognising how far we have come!Building a greener South Africa means investing in peopl...
27/10/2026

Every step forward begins with recognising how far we have come!

Building a greener South Africa means investing in people, creating opportunities and ensuring that young people and women are part of the country’s energy transition.

Together with our partners, we reflected on the achievements, challenges and lessons from our Advancing Inclusive Just Energy Transition in South Africa project (2024–2026).

Across four provinces, the initiative has supported green skills training, strengthened the capacity of TVET colleges and expanded access to workplace learning opportunities, helping prepare young people for South Africa’s growing green economy.

Looking ahead, the focus is on building stronger partnerships, deepening private-sector collaboration and creating more pathways to employment.

Because a just energy transition must do more than transform energy systems. It must create jobs, improve livelihoods and ensure that no one is left behind.

From discovering AI and robotics facilities to meeting young innovators behind emerging projects, visitors got a firstha...
23/10/2026

From discovering AI and robotics facilities to meeting young innovators behind emerging projects, visitors got a firsthand look at what happens inside the University of Johannesburg (UJ) UniPod.

The UniPod welcomed students, entrepreneurs and innovation enthusiasts for its first public Open Day, offering a closer look at the technologies, projects and opportunities available within the facility.

Visitors explored innovation and prototyping spaces, discovered 3D printing technologies, and met the current cohort of innovators, who showcased their projects and shared how they are developing solutions to everyday challenges.

Beyond the technology, the Open Day created opportunities to connect, exchange ideas, and learn about the mentorship and business incubation support available to aspiring innovators.

Supported by UNDP South Africa through the timbuktooafrica
initiative, the UniPod provides young innovators with access to tools, skills and support to develop their ideas and explore pathways to market.

20/10/2026

The real impact of a national budget is felt in people’s everyday lives.

From a woman running a spaza shop to a young entrepreneur seeking finance, budget priorities have implications for businesses, livelihoods and access to essential services.

As South Africa prepares for its Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS), the focus is on translating financial decisions into opportunities that improve lives and support communities.

Because at the heart of every budget are the people it is meant to serve.

16/10/2026

Beyond the Desk with Zimkhita Kweza!

Meet Zimkhita, an Inclusive Growth Analyst with UNDP’s LEAD Africa project. Through her work, she contributes to addressing some of Africa’s pressing development challenges, including critical minerals, the just energy transition and sustainable development financing.

Beyond her professional role, Zimkhita has her own interests, passions and experiences that shape who she is outside the office.

🎥 Watch to discover what inspires her and get to know the person beyond the desk!

Protecting nature takes more than commitment. It takes investment.At   in Geneva, UNDP and the Development Bank of South...
09/10/2026

Protecting nature takes more than commitment. It takes investment.

At in Geneva, UNDP and the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) convened a roundtable on “The Biodiversity Investment Facility: De-Risking Nature Investments in Southern Africa.”

The discussion explored how blended finance, partnerships and innovative financing solutions can help unlock investment in biodiversity conservation and ecosystem restoration.

Developed by UNDP and DBSA, the Biodiversity Investment Facility (BIF) aims to attract investment for projects that protect nature, strengthen climate resilience and support sustainable livelihoods across South Africa and the wider SADC region.

Through partnerships and innovative financing, UNDP and DBSA are working to create investment opportunities that benefit both people and nature.

07/10/2026

South Africa’s rivers, wetlands and soils are infrastructure. They just don’t show up on a balance sheet yet.

At in Geneva this week, UNDP South Africa and the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) are making the case that they should, and showing how.

Nature already delivers economic value through clean water, food security, flood protection and tourism. Turning that value into investable projects takes three things: well-prepared pipelines, credible payment models, and evidence that benefits reach people.

On Thursday, we’ll set out how that works in practice, and where public funding, commercial capital and grants each fit.

06/10/2026

How many hands does it take to make a small business visible to capital? 🖌️

Across Africa, small businesses are trading, hiring and growing. But to banks, many of them don’t exist.

They don’t lack value. They lack visibility.

At the recent Global Entrepreneurship Congress, we built a wall no one could read. Every delegate who picked up a brush made one panel visible, until the message appeared: From Invisible to Investable.

That’s how it works for businesses too. With DIME, we help them get seen. With Township Spark, we help them get backed.

Moving a business from invisible to investable takes an ecosystem. At GEC, we saw what one looks like.

Address

351 Francis Baard Street
Pretoria
0001

Opening Hours

Monday 08:00 - 17:00
Tuesday 08:00 - 17:00
Wednesday 08:00 - 17:00
Thursday 08:00 - 17:00
Friday 08:00 - 14:00

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when UNDP South Africa posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Share