Advancing Regional Regulatory Sandbox Cooperation for Data-Driven Growth in SADC

Regulatory sandboxes are emerging as critical governance tools across SADC, allowing regulators and innovators to test data-driven technologies in controlled environments while safeguarding fundamental rights.

Current sandbox approaches remain fragmented and sector-specific, largely focused on fintech, with limited engagement from data protection authorities and little coordination across borders.

Regional coordination is essential to address cross-border challenges such as data sharing, AI oversight, and market scale-up.

International models offer practical lessons for SADC, including the Pacific Islands’ regional sandbox and the EU’s multi-sandbox and observatory approaches, which reduce duplication and build regulatory capacity through cooperation.