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The narrative Team South Africa takes to Davos is grounded in evidence. In November 2025, Standard & Poor’s delivered the country’s first sovereign credit rating upgrade in nearly two decades. Weeks earlier, South Africa was removed from the Financial Action Task Force grey list, following the implementation of a comprehensive 22-item reform programme. This progress was reinforced on 9 January 2026, when the European Union published its decision to remove South Africa from its list of high-risk third country jurisdictions, effective 29 January 2026. The move reduces regulatory friction for transactions with EU financial institutions and signals growing international confidence in South Africa’s regulatory and financial governance framework.
The energy sector has delivered over 300 consecutive days without load shedding, and according to Group CEO, Dan Marokane, Eskom entered 2026 with an additional 4400MW of available generation capacity compared to the same period last year, underpinned by a marked improvement in the performance of its power stations.
Operation Vulindlela – the structural reform programme jointly led by the Presidency and National Treasury – continues to unlock bottlenecks across the economy. A pipeline of 220 GW of private-sector renewable energy projects is in development, with 72 GW in advanced stages. Eleven private Train Operating Companies were selected to add 20 million tonnes of freight capacity annually from 2026/27. Digital reforms have reduced data costs by 51%, while visa reforms cleared a 306,000-application backlog.
The delegation’s mission is not merely to showcase the country’s progress but to leverage the WEF platform to reinforce macro-economic stability, accelerate structural reforms, assert regional leadership, and forge strategic partnerships that unlock investment and growth. Davos could be a turning point for South Africa.
The aim is simple: to remind the Davos audience that South Africa is not a high-risk gamble but a stable, rule-based economy ready for responsible investment. Beyond stabilisation, the country recognises that long term prosperity hinges on deep structural reforms that broaden participation and diversify the economy. The Davos strategy must announce concrete steps that will unlock the growth potential of the economy while addressing the legacy of inequality.
The recent passage of the Electricity Amendment Bill paves the way for a more competitive power market, while the Reserve Bank’s commitment to an inflation-targeting regime demonstrates that monetary policy is data driven and insulated from short term political pressures and restores confidence.
South Africa has long positioned itself as a regional leader in Sub-Saharan Africa, and Davos 2026 offers a stage to reinforce that narrative on the world’s biggest policy platform. The delegation will articulate a vision of a more integrated, prosperous Southern Africa that can contribute meaningfully to global challenges such as climate change, food security and digital innovation. As a founding member of AfCFTA (African Continental Free Trade Area), South Africa will champion the removal of barriers and the harmonisation of customs procedures. Under the AfCFTA) South Africa exported R571 billion worth of goods to the balance of the continent in 2024. The Johannesburg Stock Exchange remains Africa's largest and most liquid capital market.
This narrative is aimed at shifting the story from “aid recipient” to “partner of choice”, encouraging multilateral institutions and private investors to view the region as an engine for global growth.
The most tangible objective will be to translate concrete deals and long-term relationships. Davos 2026 will host a series of high-level roundtables, bilateral meetings, and the dedicated “South Africa Investment Forum” designed to match local projects with global capital. A curated list of bankable projects including the Gauteng-Durban high speed rail, the Ports of Durban and Cape Town expansion, and several utility-scale solar farms – will be presented to an audience of institutional investors, sovereign wealth funds and development banks. The government has already secured “ready-to build” status for many of these initiatives, reducing the due diligence burden for partners.
By weaving these strategic threads into the fabric of the Davos agenda, Team South Africa hopes to convert the form’s buzz into a pipeline of sustainable investments that will underpin the country’s growth trajectory for years to come.
Team South Africa’s presence at Davos 2026 is more that just a diplomatic courtesy; it is a strategic showcase of a nation on a path to recovery. With a clear focus on macro-economic credibility, structural reform, regional leadership and investment mobilisation, the delegation is poised to tell a story of resilience, ambition, and partnership. The roadmap laid out at Davos offers a credible path forward.
If the WEF Davos 2026 can serve as a catalyst for the deals, reforms, and collaborations that South Africa is championing, this Forum may well be remembered as the moment the country turned a period of global uncertainty into a springboard for inclusive, sustainable growth. The world will be watching, and Team South Africa is ready to meet the moment. DM
About Brand South Africa
Brand South Africa is the official marketing agency of South Africa, with a mandate to build the country's brand reputation, to improve its global competitiveness. Its aim is also to build pride and patriotism among South Africans, to contribute to social cohesion and nation brand ambassadorship.