The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Business Council will host the Southern African Industrialisation Forum on February 26-27 at the Sandton Hotel in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The two-day forum will bring together top government and business leaders to shape industrial priorities and investment opportunities focused largely on Angola.
The theme is “Human and Financial Capital: The Key Drivers for Sustainable Industrialisation in the SADC Region.”
“Angola is actively diversifying its economy and expanding regional trade, making it an ideal focal point for this forum,” said Peter Varndell, Executive Director of the SADC Business Council.
The forum will cover topics like human capital development, trade facilitation, infrastructure, and high-potential sectors such as automotive, pharmaceuticals, tourism, renewable energy, and transport.
“We will catalyze valued connections, collaborations and deals to boost socio-economic prospects across SADC,” Varndell added.
The event has already received support from institutions like the African Development Bank, Afreximbank, Banco Sol, BADEA, and Coca-Cola Company. Over 300 delegates are expected, including government ministers, businesses, investors and financial institutions.
“The SADC region has great potential when it comes to industrialization. The African Development Bank has significantly increased its own financing to industrialize Africa and leverage additional resources from partners. We believe partnering with governments, the private sector and regional organizations is key to address bottlenecks in industrialization for a more prosperous Africa,” said Nick Williams of the AfDB.
“We have shaped a forum that fosters tangible engagement between stakeholders who can collectively accelerate industrialization, trade and investment leading to shared prosperity in Southern Africa,” said Lynne Jongwe of the SADC Business Council.
The forum will offer networking sessions for businesses to build relationships and secure potential bilateral deals onsite.
