United States Agency for International Development/Southern Africa’s (USAID/SA) strategic goal over the next five years (October 2020- September 2025) is to advance the region toward becoming more integrated, prosperous, and ultimately self-reliant. This goal can only be achieved when the needs of both women and men in the region are addressed. The Regional Development Cooperation Strategy (RDCS) is unlike previous USAID/SA strategies and integrates what was traditionally South Africa’s Country Development Cooperation Strategy. The strategy also exclusively focuses on driving self-reliance through strategically allocating its resources and partnering with three main stakeholders: the private sector, governments, and citizens to catalyze inclusive economic growth, strengthen governance, and advance the resilience of people and systems. Through this regional and partnership-based approach in programming, USAID/SA will contribute to the Journey to Self-Reliance (J2SR) of the individual countries that make up the region.