The United Nations and business launched the South Africa Business Initiative for Impact (SABII), a platform committed to advancing sustainable development and inclusive economic growth in South Africa. As the first localised platform of the Global Africa Business Initiative (GABI), SABII exists to boost local entrepreneurship, connect South African businesses to African and global markets, and attract foreign investments, whilst promoting sustainable and inclusive job-creation and emissions-friendly growth.
SABII is aligned to four national priorities – Energy Transition, Digitisation, Human Capital Development, and Food Systems Transformation – key imperatives to drive meaningful change on the African continent. Through coordinated action, SABII sets out to accelerate green mobility and renewable energy adoption, launch a digital livelihood initiative to promote digital skilling, bridge the skills-to-jobs gap for unemployed youth, and promote climate-smart agriculture to strengthen food security.
Underlying SABII is the strategic insight: these challenges are too complex for the government, business, or the UN to solve alone. SABII is the permanent infrastructure that connects the three sectors – with clear roles, measurable outcomes, and shared accountability.
“No single institution – public or private – can drive systemic change alone. Energy transition requires joint investment. Digitisation requires shared infrastructure and innovation. Human capital requires collective responsibility. Food systems require coordinated action across value chains. SABII can only succeed therefore through strong, sustained partnerships,” noted Nelson Muffuh, United Nations Resident Coordinator.
“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,” said Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa, SA CEO and Executive Director of Naspers and Prosus. “As a founding partner of SABII in South Africa, Naspers is committed to driving impact through coordinated action”.
United Nations Assistant Secretary-General Ms. Sanda Ojiambo attended the launch and affirmed that the initiative will play a vital role in empowering local enterprises to scale sustainably and competitively across value chains.
As an official B20 South Africa side event, the launch was attended by B20 Sherpa Cas Coovadia. The B20 Summit begins tomorrow. SABII’s launch today positions South African business leadership at the centre of global business conversation, and as the national mechanism for converting B20 outcomes into bold, future-ready partnerships that unlock opportunity.