Sadc Industrialisation Week roars to life

The SADC Industrialisation Week, which roared to life in Harare last Sunday, seeks to promote industrialisation, showcase investment opportunities across different value chains and facilitate networking among stakeholders in the industrial sector.

Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Dr Jenfan Muswere, presided over a Media Awareness Day in the capital on Sunday, where he gave an overview of the premier event, its history and what will unfold during the week.

The week-long event, Dr Muswere said, would precede the senior officials, Council of Ministers meetings and the Sadc Summit, which will take place from August 9 to 18 at the New Parliament Building in Mount Hampden.

“The SIW aims to foster intra-African trade, develop cross-border value chains and identify investment opportunities in the SADC region through public-private partnerships.

“This event is of profound significance for Zimbabweans as the nation is set to assume the Chair of the bloc for the second time within a decade.

In 2014, Zimbabwe played a leading role in the formulation and advocacy of the SADC Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap (2015-2063), which was subsequently adopted by member states.

“In 2016, the Council of Ministers endorsed a decision to annually convene the SIW on the margins of the SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government to popularise the strategy.

“The SIW is traditionally organised by the host Government, through the ministry responsible for Industry, the SADC Business Council and the SADC Secretariat.”

Dr Muswere said since 2016, six events have been held in different countries, starting with Eswatini, South Africa in 2017, Namibia 2018, Tanzania 2019, Malawi 2021, the Democratic Republic of Congo 2022, while the event in Angola was cancelled last year.

The theme of the SADC Industrialisation Week is, “Promoting innovation to unlock opportunities for Sustainable Economic Growth and Development towards an Industrialised SADC”, which is the same as that of the SADC Summit.

Some of the objectives of the SIW include to popularise the SADC Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap (2015-2063) and identify industrialisation projects that can be implemented jointly by the public and private sectors within the SADC member States.

Tomorrow, there will be factory visits to showcase Zimbabwe’s industrial potential.

Dr Muswere said the event will draw participation from all SADC member States and members of the public, key stakeholders in the private sector, strategic and co-operating partners, academia, research and technology institutions, among others.

The event, he said, is targeting 300 participants, while there will be 150 companies, 100 of which will be reserved for local companies, innovation hubs, SMEs, women and youth exhibitors, and 45 would be reserved for the other 15 member States, with each Member State allocated at least three booths.

A dedicated pavilion for regional Investment Promotion Agencies from the 15 SADC member countries will be provided.

Dr Muswere commended the media for the critical role it is playing in information dissemination.

“To our friends from the media, we appreciate your crucial role in amplifying the messages, successes and aspirations of the SADC Industrialisation Week. Your coverage will help disseminate the outcomes of this event, reaching a wider audience and inspiring others to join us on this transformative journey,” he said.

Industry and Commerce Permanent Secretary, Dr Thomas Utete Wushe, said the SIW was a history-making event, bringing together Government, business and labour.

“We have started a journey to industrialise our region,” he said.

Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries chief executive officer, Ms Sekai Kuvarika, said the event was a culmination of collaboration between the private sector, Government and Sadc secretariat.

She said the dream of a private sector-led economy would soon become a reality.

Sadc Deputy Executive Secretary responsible for regional integration, Ms Angele Makombo N’tumba, commended the media for its role in shaping public perception.

During the event, media awards meant to celebrate regional integration were unveiled and journalists from the bloc were encouraged to participate.

SADC National Media Co-ordinator and Director International Communication Services in the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Mr Richard Mahomva, said the SIW demonstrates the extent to which Zimbabwe is not only open for business, but also open for ideas.

“The oversubscribed accreditation of journalists for the SADC Industrialisation Week and the Summit demonstrates the open operational environment of the sector courtesy of the Second Republic’s game changing media reforms.

“The awareness forum repositions the media sector as an ideation factory to support the nation’s industrial drive,” he said.

The SADC National Media Co-ordination includes strategic messaging for regional integration, resource mobilisation for the positive projection of SADC messaging and facilitating the SADC Media Awards.

“The event also underscores awareness of SADC in general as already demonstrated by the Government’s SADC Publicity Monitoring and Evaluation Matrix developed by the Ministry of Information Publicity and Broadcasting Services.

“The matrix uses State media as a representative sample of the cumulative access to SADC-related information enjoyed by Zimbabweans since the Summit’s roadmap was enunciated by Government,” he said.-herald