UNDP South Africa remained firm in its commitment to accompany the Government of South Africa in its development journey by investing in youth and women empowerment initiatives (skills development, employment promotion, and supporting entrepreneurship), promoting renewable energy, building state capability, disaster response, lobbying for biodiversity investments, and driving innovation. Our cumulative support to youth since 2019 has touched the lives of 20,045 youths and 7,812 SMMEs – altogether, 27,857 youth and women have benefitted from our skill and entrepreneurship development programmes. In 2022, the most notable results include the nearly 1000 youths that we placed in employment and income generation opportunities, over 200 SMMEs supported through training and grant funding, the provision of a relief package worth R2.3 million to support over 5000 flood-affected victims in KZN, and powering 67 households in the Upper Blinkwater community through our wind-solar hybrid mini-grid system, as well as providing 24,000 litres of water to two schools (Matyantya Primary School and Kleinbooi Secondary School) on a daily basis through our wind-power water pumping facilities.

We firmly believe that sustainable development is a collaborative journey, and the achievements presented in this report would not have been possible without the collective efforts of our partners and stakeholders. 2022 also provided an opportunity to strengthen and cultivate new partnerships, particularly for resource mobilization. We brokered commitments for government cost-sharing which will bear fruits in 2023 for interventions in the areas of digitization, entrepreneurship, innovation, state capability and just energy transition. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the South African government, donors, and our implementing partners for their unwavering support and commitment to our shared vision. We sincerely appreciate the solidarity of the Government of Japan and Toyota South Africa for their continuous support of our skills development programmes.  

As we move forward to 2023, the challenges ahead are daunting, but they are also opportunities for transformation and scaling. The urgency to address climate change, reduce inequalities, and promote sustainable development has never been greater. Guided by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the national priorities of South Africa, we will continue to innovate, adapt, and scale up our efforts to accelerate progress towards a more equitable, inclusive, and sustainable future.

You are invited to delve into the pages of this Annual Report 2022 and explore the impactful stories, data, and insights that reflect our collective journey towards sustainable development. Together, let us build on our achievements, learn from our experiences, and forge ahead on the path to a brighter and more resilient South Africa.