UN and business leaders launch SABII to drive inclusive growth, sustainable development in SA

The United Nations, alongside leading South African and global business figures, on Monday launched the South Africa Business Initiative for Impact (SABII)—a new platform aimed at accelerating sustainable development, inclusive economic growth, and job creation across the country.

SABII is South Africa's national anchor of the Global Africa Business Initiative (GABI). It brings together business, the United Nations, and government through four pillars or national priorities: Energy Transition, Digitisation, Human Capital Development, and Food Systems Transformation.

The partnership includes the UN Resident Coordinator's Office, the UN Global Compact, business champions including Naspers as founding partner, and the South African government.

SABII is the first country-level platform under the UN’s GABI and is designed to strengthen local entrepreneurship, expand South African business access to African and global markets, and attract foreign investment. The initiative also aims to promote low-carbon, inclusive economic growth and employment opportunities.

SABII will coordinate joint action between government, the private sector, and the UN to drive structural change.

Key programmes under SABII include accelerating green mobility and the expansion of renewable energy; launching a digital livelihoods initiative to boost digital skills and inclusion; closing the skills-to-jobs gap for unemployed youth; and promoting climate-smart agriculture to improve food security.

United Nations Resident Coordinator, Nelson Muffuh, said the platform responds to challenges too complex for any single institution to tackle alone.

"No single institution - public or private - can drive systemic change alone. Energy transition requires joint investment. Digitisation requires shared infrastructure and innovation," Muffuh said.

"Human capital requires collective responsibility. Food systems require coordinated action across value chains. SABII can only succeed therefore through strong, sustained partnerships."

Naspers and Prosus South Africa CEO, Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa, a founding partner of SABII, said the platform has the potential to become a lasting national asset.

"If we stay committed, transparent, and united, this platform will outlast the summit, outlast the headlines, and become part of South Africa's long-term institutional strength. This is how we build an ecosystem where we partner with the whole of society to make a demonstrable difference," she said. 

United Nations Assistant Secretary-General, Sanda Ojiambo, attended the launch and said SABII will be critical in empowering local enterprises to grow competitively and sustainably across value chains.

The launch formed part of an official B20 South Africa side event and was attended by B20 Sherpa Cas Coovadia.

With the B20 Summit beginning on Tuesday, SABII’s establishment positions South African business leadership at the centre of global economic discussions and provides a national mechanism for translating B20 outcomes into practical, future-focused partnerships.

The B20 (Business 20) is the official dialogue forum of the G20 business community, convening global leaders from industry, finance, and policy to deliver actionable recommendations for inclusive and sustainable growth.

Last week, Cabinet said it was confident of South Africa’s readiness to host a successful first G20 Summit in the African continent over this coming weekend. 

There will be a plethora of business, government and civil society events leading up to the G20 Summit. 

The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) will on Thursday launch a new high-level G20 Report titled: G20 Principles for Sustainable Industrial Policy.

Acknowledging that the world is grappling with overlapping crises, from climate change and economic underdevelopment to inequality, poverty, and geopolitical instability, the report outlines a framework for aligning green industrial strategies with climate, development and equity goals. 

It highlights the role the G20 can play in advancing a just and globally inclusive approach to green industrial policy. 

The event will provide a platform for policymakers, experts, and civil society to engage with the report’s recommendations and shape South Africa’s G20 leadership on this critical agenda.

BUSINESS REPORT