Capitalise on Sadc Summit, local companies urged
ZIMTRADE has called on local companies to capitalise on the forthcoming Southern African Development Community (Sadc) Industrialisation Week (SIW2024) to broaden their customer base and get valuable insights into regional trends and consumer preferences.
The SIW2024, which is being hosted by the Government through the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI), in partnership with the Sadc Secretariat and Sadc Business Council, will run from July 28 to August 2. Zimbabwe will host the 7th Sadc Industrialisation Week, which comes a few weeks before the 44th Sadc Summit in Harare.
It will be held under the theme: “Promoting Innovation to Unlock Opportunities for Sustainable Economic Growth and Development Towards an Industrialised Sadc.” In its June newsletter, ZimTrade said it is important for local companies to understand the event’s significance in terms of the growth of trade and opportunities that will positively affect their business.
ZimTrade said since its debut in August 2016, SIW has been instrumental in promoting regional economic growth, co-operation and knowledge exchange. “The SIW acts as a prime exhibition space, allowing businesses to connect with a vast audience of potential buyers and distributors.
“This exposure can open doors to new markets within the Sadc region, significantly expanding your customer base and driving sales,” said ZimTrade.
“Additionally, attending industry conferences and workshops provides valuable insights into regional trends and consumer preferences.” ZimTrade said this knowledge empowers local exporters to tailor their offerings to meet market demands and enhance their competitive edge. Beyond immediate sales opportunities, the SIW fosters valuable networking connections.
These connections can lead to strategic partnerships, joint ventures, and access to crucial funding sources. “This prestigious event also brings together a diverse range of stakeholders from leading regional and global policymakers to industry experts and potential investors,” said ZimTrade.
The SIW convenes annually, ahead of the Sadc Summit of Heads of State and Government, aimed at fostering new opportunities for intra-African trade, developing cross-border value chains, and identifying investment opportunities in Southern Africa.
The programme brings together leading private sector experts, regional and global policymakers, development finance institutions, Sadc officials, donors, civil society, and leading industrialists and captains of industry from the region and Africa at large to identify investment opportunities, and industrialisation bottlenecks and jointly recommend solutions.
ZimTrade said the activities undertaken during the week are in line with promoting innovation, and unlocking opportunities for sustainable economic growth and development towards an industrialised Sadc. Also included will be seminars and workshops, exhibitions from over 90 Sadc companies and 100 local companies as well as structured business meetings and company visits.
“The sectors targeted for the SIW, include mineral beneficiation, agro-processing, pharmaceuticals, fast-moving consumer goods, infrastructure and logistics (to support trade and investment), light manufacturing and the automotive and financial services. “The SIW will also seek to popularise the Sadc Industrialisation Strategy and identify industrialisation projects that can be implemented jointly by the public and private sectors within the Sadc member states, formulating practical next steps, which will involve kick-starting private sector-led working groups, projects, and programmes,” said ZimTrade.
The SIW acts as a prime exhibition space, allowing businesses to connect with a vast audience of potential buyers and distributors. —-chroncile
