The Republic of Zimbabwe, through the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI), in partnership with SADC Secretariat and SADC Business Council (SADC BC), will host the 7th Annual SADC Industrialisation Week (SIW) from 28 July – 2 August 2024 in Harare, Zimbabwe. The event will be held at the Harare International Conference Centre, under the theme “Promoting Innovation to Unlock Opportunities for Sustainable Economic Growth and Development Towards an Industrialised SADC.”
The SADC Industrialisation Week is the largest public-private platform and consultative body for industrialisation in the SADC region. It provides an annual platform for SADC Member States, the private sector, international partners, policymakers, researchers, SMEs, financial institutions, and civil society to share experiences on driving industrialisation and economic transformation.
The week-long event will feature seminars, meetings, workshops, a gala dinner, exhibitions, and site visits to manufacturing facilities and industrial hubs across Zimbabwe. Key focus areas include mineral beneficiation, agro-processing, pharmaceuticals, infrastructure development, women and youth entrepreneurship, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and more.
“Innovation underpins sustainable economic growth and is vital for unlocking the region’s industrial potential,” said Peter Varndell, Executive Secretary of the SADC Business Council. “The 7th SIW presents a crucial opportunity for the public and private sectors to collaborate on policies and strategies that promote innovation-driven industrialisation across SADC.”
This annual event aims to intensify multi-stakeholder engagement in implementing the SADC Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap 2015-2063. It is co-organised by the SADC Secretariat, CZI, and SADC BC with a key focus on reviewing progress and challenges in executing the SADC Industrialisation Strategy, as well as sharing success stories and solutions for developing robust regional value chains across priority sectors.
The 2024 edition follows successful SIWs hosted by the DRC, Malawi, Tanzania, Namibia, South Africa, and Eswatini over the past years.
Registration is open here.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Faiza Mallick
Faiza.Mallick@thenbf.co.za