In less than four years, the SAIBL program has generated more than US$185 million in business transactions for South African and American companies. It has helped create more than 4,000 jobs.

The South African International Business Linkages Program (SAIBL) builds the capacity and international competitiveness of historically disadvantaged, small and medium South African businesses through trade and investment partnerships with U.S. companies. SAIBL is a cooperative agreement between the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Corporate Council on Africa.

Business across South Africa is expanding, and SAIBL offers South African and U.S. companies an opportunity to be a part of this process. Economic progress in South Africa heavily depends on its majority populations’ ability to access domestic and international markets. SAIBL-facilitated partnerships play a key role in bringing new technologies, management skills, new markets, market information -and increased revenues.

SAIBL Services

Business Linkage Assistance

Whether it is through joint ventures, service contracts, equity investments or franchise expansion, the SAIBL program is making U.S.-South African business linkages happen. SAIBL’s business development network across the U.S. and South Africa works closely with companies as they research and assess market opportunities, and identify and screen appropriate partners. SAIBL assists American companies to expand commercial ties to South Africa and small and medium-sized South African businesses looking to access markets in the United States and elsewhere in Africa.

Training and Business Capacity Support

A unique attribute of SAIBL: SAIBL provides South African enterprises with technical assistance funding on a 50 percent cost-sharing basis. Past examples of support include assistance in business plan preparation, ISO certification, travel to the U.S. for training by an American company, participation in a U.S.-led trade delegation, and participation in American trade and industry shows. So far, more than 150 firms have received such assistance. Applicants for this support should contact SAIBL to ascertain eligibility.

Technology Transfer

SAIBL works to transfer advanced skills and technologies from the U.S. to small and medium-sized South African enterprises.

New Components of SAIBL

Promoting Agribusiness Linkages (PAL) Project

The agribusiness sector is a crucial element of South African economic and private sector development. This new SAIBL program, also funded by USAID, will facilitate networks and linkages between historically disadvantaged smallholder farmers and larger, more mainstream, agribusiness markets. The PAL program covers all of South Africa.

Regional Trade Pilot Project

SAIBL has launched a new cross-border initiative that will enable historically disadvantaged South African firms and the U.S. private sector entities to capitalize on the ever-expanding business and integration taking place between South Africa and its regional neighbors. Countries selected for the two-year pilot project are Botswana, Tanzania and Zambia. Sectors for the project will vary, but focus industries will include textiles and apparel, automotive parts, agribusiness and food processing.

The Africa Growth and Opportunity Act

The business generated by the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) is a principal emphasis of SAIBL. The SAIBL team works to equip South African enterprises with the training and match-making necessary to most effectively take advantage of AGOA.

SAIBL Success Stories

• Rare Thatch exported $18,000 worth of thatch and bench units to Florida based AGI Group.

• Distribution Manufacturing & Engineering (DME), a Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) company owned by Nu Liner Engineering, has imported and exported $1 million worth of locomotive parts to Texas based Hitesi USA.

• Simambena Trade & Services imported locomotive parts in excess of $350,000 from Michigan based General Motors, for distribution to South African government.

• SAIBL assisted a client in South Africa to secure a three-year, $1.5 million contract for the supply of aluminum spindles used in car safety belts to a first tier supplier to CCA member Ford Motor Company. SAIBL provided 50% of the training costs for the South African company to obtain ISO 9000 certification, which was a requirement for the contract.

Contact SAIBL

Nischal Patel, The Corporate Council on Africa
Phone: 202/835-1115   E-Mail:

* SAIBL is Funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID)