Business updates

The SADC Business Council, of which the Mauritius Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) is a founding member, was launched as the overarching regional private sector platform to interact with the public sector on matters of regional economic development and industrialisation during the 4th Annual SADC Industrialisation Week. 

The SADC Business Council has as mission to advocate and partner with Member States to improve the enabling and competitive business environment by engaging regional, national and local policy organs of SADC to the extent that it impacts on regional economic development.

The 4th Annual SADC Industrialisation Week which was held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, from 5th to 9th August 2019, was officially opened by HE Dr. John Pombe Magufuli, President of the United Republic of Tanzania in the presence of Dr. Stergomena Tax, Executive Secretary of SADC Secretariat.

The Forum was jointly organized by the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Tanzania, the SADC Secretariat, and the SADC Business Council under the theme ‘A Conducive Environment for Inclusive and Sustainable Industrial Development, increased intra-regional trade, and job creation’.

The event was hosted in preparation for the 39th Session of SADC Heads of States and Government Summit.

Key topics were infrastructure development in Africa and regional value chains. Discussions also focused on SME / Local Development, Gender and Youth; Finance for Infrastructure and Industrialisation; Barriers to Trade and Trade Facilitation; Research, Innovation and Technology development.

The Joint Declaration at the closing of the Forum focused on five priority areas and urged for more effective implementation of the SADC Industrialisation policy and strategy through engagement with the private sector.

The Dars Es Salaam Declaration of the 4th Annual Industrialisation Week can be accessed here.