The EDC & SS unit aims to work on projects or initiatives that (i) drive broader social, economic, and environmental development and (ii) initiatives that should attract investment, create jobs, and promote innovation leading to a positive ripple effect on the sector or region; and (iii) have a transformative impact that may include innovative technologies, novel approaches or unconventional solution that will address the pressing challenges and or capitalise on emerging opportunities.

Within the context of supporting digital infrastructure, the EDC & SS unit aims to work on investing in and developing the critical technology and communication infrastructure needed to facilitate the functioning of the digital economy and society.

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The EDC & SS unit seeks to support measures and strategies that will stimulate the agro–industry for economic development such as (i) Driving agro-processing related investment opportunity packaging which include among others project development and due diligence assessments; financing coordination; packaging and coordination of value chain and clustering opportunities; linking of local producers to national and international value chains. (ii) Spearheading agro-processing strategic projects development and implementation. (iii) Coordinating funding mobilisation for technology investments and expansion as well as investment in agricultural infrastructure (iv) Provide institutional support to the market access and export promotion programme for the sector (v) collaborate with the public and/or private sector to attract investments, create opportunities in agribusiness and develop local value chains

The objective of the EDC & SS unit is to create competitive, sustainable, diverse, innovative, and inclusive local economies that are (i) vibrant places to live, invest, work, innovate, maximize local opportunities, address local needs, and (ii) contribute to the Eastern Cape provincial priorities which focus on creating inclusive economic opportunities, provision of quality health and education, basic services provision such as water, roads, electricity and safer communities.

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The Unit will transform Eastern Cape industrial parks into innovative hubs and economic activity through infrastructure upgrades, technology innovations, and collaborative efforts, with the aim to create a dynamic ecosystem that attracts diverse industries, fosters job creation, and propels the region towards sustainable economic growth.

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In alignment with the Industrial Park Revitalization Programme, the unit supports manufacturing by means of driving manufacturing related investment opportunity packaging; project development and due diligence assessments; financing coordination; packaging and coordination of value chain and clustering opportunities; linking of local producers to national and international value chains. The unit provides institutional support to industry clusters for priority productive sectors which include automotive, general manufacturing through the Eastern Cape Automotive Industry Forum (ECAIF) and Non-Automotive Manufacturing (NAM) Cluster. The unit spearheads strategic projects implementation in manufacturing, 

coordinates investment in research and development funding that will enhance productivity in the manufacturing space as well as skills training initiatives that advance skills of the workforce, allowing ease of adoption to new technologies and processes  (v) encourage collaborative efforts that will address common challenges and promote innovation and (vi) facilitate capital access for small-medium enterprises to encourage growth and expansion as well as access to domestic and global markets.

The EDC & SS unit aims to assist with (i) financial assistance that consists of grants, subsidies, loans, and other forms of financial assistance that can be used for research and development, capacity building, or infrastructure development (ii) technical expertise that includes training, mentoring, and sharing of best practices (iii) work to create a conducive policy and regulatory environment that encourages growth and sustainability of the sector and (iv) monitoring and evaluation of the impact of interventions, leading to adjustments and improvements if needed.

With the mandate to lead the ECDC as the lead development agency, the EDC & SS unit works to find synergies that will enable economic activity within the province and this incorporates (i) physical infrastructure such as roads, ports, airports, and utilities (ii) investing in human capital enhances productivity, innovation, and competitiveness (iii) provision of an environment that encourages entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem (iv) and access to the domestic and international market.

Projects or initiatives require financial resources to operate and achieve objectives, making resource mobilization and leveraged funding critical components for financial planning and management. This allows the EDC & SS unit to work on (i) identifying, securing, and utilizing various resources including financial and human to support the realization of project objectives and (ii) leverage funding that will enable maximization of available funds through partnerships, matching grants, or investments.