South Africa is the second largest economy in Africa after Nigeria and has reached the status of a middle-income country. Consequently, the nature of the relationship between the Netherlands and South Africa will evolve in the coming years from a relationship based on development cooperation towards one based on trade. Within the new program, the focus on South Africa will still be in development throughout 2016/2017. In the last two years of the program the focus will gradually shift towards economic growth.

Apart from the eight countries mentioned above, the geographical focus of the new program (2016-2020) will be extended to the Great Lakes Region (Rwanda, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda). In this region, the program will start with a pilot project on peace and sports.