8th SADC Industrialization Week 2025 Seeks to Promote Sustainable Value Addition
The annual SADC Industrialization Week 2025 (SIW2025) is taking place in the Madagascar’s capital, Antananarivo, from the 28th July to 1st August 2025. The event acts as a prelude to the SADC Summit 2025 which is scheduled to take place on 17 August 2025.
The theme of the 45th SADC Summit 2025 is “Promoting Industrialization, Agricultural Transformation, and Energy Transition for a Resilient SADC “. Some 500 delegates from 24 countries have registered to participate in #SIW2025. It is to be recalled that the SADC regroups 16 countries in Southern Africa.
The expo component of the #SIW2025 has seen the presence of more than 100 stands from all over #SADC. During the week long event, it is estimated that more than 3,000 visitors who will attend the SIW2025.
In his welcome keynote, Malagasy President Andry Rajoelina underlined that his national priorities rest on agricultural mechanization and energy reforms. The high cost of electricity is acting as a brake to the #industrialization of Madagascar and the country is also promoting the #EnergyTransition. Similarly, Madagascar is a mainly agrarian society and crop productivity will enhance #FoodSecurity.
SADC Deputy Executive Secretary Angele N’Tumba pointed out that industrial output in SADC only makes up 13% of the collective GDP. This means most SADC member states are still at the stage of exporting raw minerals and unprocessed agricultural produce with little local value addition (#LVA). In that regard, SADC had issued the SADC Industrialization Strategy and Roadmap 2015-2063 which is the blueprint to integrate Africa into the global supply chain (#GSC) while moving up the global value chain (#GVC).
As for the Malagasy Minister of Industry and Commerce David Ralambofiringa, he could not hide his pride that Madagascar is hosting a regional event of such scale in its history. He underscored that Madagascar’s commitment to transform its economic structure while ensuring inclusivity, sustainability and sovereignty.
The #SIW2025 is co-organized by the Malagasy Ministry of Industry & Commerce, the Malagasy Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Madagascar Industry Syndicate. The inclusion of the Syndicate underlines the excellent Public-Private Partnership (#PPP) prevailing in Madagascar.
The Malagasy Minister of Foreign Affairs Rasata Rafaravavitafika highlighted the need for regional integration and cooperation for a successful industrialization and to boost trade. In order to foster intra-Africa trade, governments must invest more in infrastructure and #connectivity to facilitate exchanges.