CONCLUSION 18 Executive Summary The current 4-7% economic growth in the SADC region is propelled by rising external demand, high international metal prices, rising global income, resurgent capital flows and the sound macro-economic policies of SADC Member States. New investments in mining and mineral outputs are increasing, and fiscal discipline and abundant natural resources have combined to attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into the region. Continued growth will, to a large extent, depend on the diversification, greater beneficiation and value addition of commodities, which will in turn create local employment. There is a critical requirement for improved intra-regional distribution networks, strengthened institutional capacity to attract sustained capital and increased domestic savings and investment. Efficient, integrated, cost-effective infrastructure is a prerequisite for harnessing opportunities in the global economy.