Obstacles in attracting increased portfolio investment into southern Africa

Measured in terms of foreign participation in its domestic financial markets, the major part of southern Africa has to date been largely isolated from international financial markets and the process of financial globalisation. With the exception of South Africa and, to a lesser extent, Mauritius, the region receives negligible amounts of foreign portfolio investment. For the majority of countries, the main types of foreign capital inflows consist of development assistance and foreign direct investment. Foreign portfolio investment, which has hitherto remained largely untapped, may become important in future, especially in view of the dwindling international development assistance to the region. However, portfolio investment is volatile and can be relatively easily withdrawn, posing some financial risk to an economy that has to be managed. This article identifies and assesses possible obstacles to foreign portfolio investment in the region, which could be addressed over time in order to improve the region's competitiveness for foreign investment.