His Excellency President Andry Rajoelina officially opens the 8th SADC Industrialization Week

His Excellency Andry Rajoelina, the President of the Republic of Madagascar and Incoming Chairperson of the Southern African Developmnet Community (SADC) officially opened the 8th SADC Industrialization Week (SIW) at Novotel Hotel and Spa in Antananarivo, Madagascar on 29th July 2025.

Delivering his remarks, he reiterated his country’s commitment to invest more on agricultural mechanisation, local valuation, and the energy transition to build a competitive and sustainable national and regional industry for the development and integration of the SADC Region.

H.E. President Rajoelina highlighted that his country’s fertile land remains their greatest asset in the fight against poverty. “By mechanising our farming systems, we will be able to triple our yields, from 2.5 to 9 tons per hectare in the coming years," he said.

On the energy sector, the President Rajoelina affirmed that the high cost of electricity, due to high reliance on thermal energy, is an impediment for economic development. He called for an accelerated transition to renewable energies, an essential condition for the emergence of a competitive, sustainable, and job-creating local industry. 

Ms. Angele Makombo N’tumba, the SADC Deputy Secretary for Regional Integration affirmed that the SADC Region has made commendable strides in laying the foundation for industrialisation even though the pace has remained uneven. She noted that, currently the industry accounts for only 13% of the region’s Cross Domestic Product (GDP), and the regional economies are still heavily reliant on exports of unprocessed raw materials, thereby limiting the value retention and job creation.

The Deputy Executive Secretary emphasised that the implementation of the SADC Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap (2015–2063) remains central to reversing the trend. It is through industrialisation that we will deepen value chains, enhance productivity, increase regional trade, and integrate our economies more effectively into continental and global markets, she said.

She highlighted that the SIW provides a key platform to showcase progress, share experiences, and foster collaboration across Member States and with the private sector in areas such as mineral beneficiation, pharmaceutical manufacturing, textiles, and agro-processing.

Through the SADC Industrialization Strategy and Roadmap (SISR) 2015-2063, the region seeks to transform the economy through beneficiation and value addition to the region’s diverse natural resources. By promoting regional value chains and prioritising strategic sectors such as agro-processing, pharmaceuticals, leather and services, the region can harness abundant natural resources to build resilient economies.

The SISR is anchored on three pillars of Industrialisation, Competitiveness, and Regional Integration. The Strategy covers the years 2015 to 2063 and deliberately aligns with the African Union Agenda 2063. 

The 8th edition of the SADC Industrialization Week has brought together government officials, the private sector, development partners, and civil society to engage on key areas to integrate the region. These include industrial policy implementation, regional value chain development, infrastructure, energy transition, investment promotion, regulatory alignment, and trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).