SADC, EU, and German Cooperation facilitate the regional Business-to-Business and Business-to-Finance Forum on unlocking Medical and Pharmaceutical opportunities in Southern Africa

Gaborone, Botswana, 14-15th November 2023. 

The Southern African Development Community (SADC), the European Union, and the German Government have successfully facilitated a two-day Business-to-Business (B2B) and Business-to-Finance (B2F) event in Gaborone, Botswana, on the 14th - 15th November 2023. 

The event was officiated by Ms. Barbara Chibambo, Programme Coordinator SIPS at the SADC Secretariat and Mr. José-Angel Becerra-Marta, Programme Officer at the EU Delegation in Botswana. 

Representatives from a diverse array of over 59 companies, including financial institutions, medical manufacturers, and procurement entities, converged at the SADC regional B2B and B2F forum. Hailing from more than 10 Southern African countries, the participants contributed to the vibrant exchange of ideas and experiences.

Throughout the event, participants actively engaged in a variety of sessions which provided valuable insights into input and output markets for medical and pharmaceutical products. Attendees seized the opportunity to connect with suppliers, buyers, and distributors, fostering collaborations that extend both within the region and beyond.

The core focus of the B2B and B2F forum was on unlocking opportunities in the medical and pharmaceutical sectors within the SADC region to create linkages along these value chains. As a result, the event stands as a pivotal moment in advancing regional integration, driving economic growth, and catalyzing transformative advancements in the medical and pharmaceutical sectors across the SADC region.

The SADC regional B2B and B2F Forum was facilitated by the Joint Action Support towards Industrialisation and the Productive Sectors in the SADC region (SIPS). The Joint Action SIPS is co-funded by the European Union in Botswana and the Bundesministerium für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung (BMZ) and managed by the SADC Secretariat. The project aims to improve the performance and growth of the regional medical, pharmaceutical, and leather value chains. 

For more information, please contact: 

1. Ms. Barbara Lopi, Head of Communication and Public Relations Southern African Development Community (SADC) Tel: (+267) 364 1790) E-Mail: blopi@sadc.int 

2. Ms. Sahar Sadid, Communications Officer, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH Tel: (+267) 751 61962 E-Mail: sahar.sadid@giz.de 

About the SIPS Programme:

The “Support towards Industrialisation and the Productive Sectors (SIPS)” in the SADC region programme, with a budget of more than EUR 20 million, seeks to foster self-reliant economies, decrease import dependency, and build regional resilience. The programme broadly focuses on the agro-processing and pharmaceutical sectors in SADC. The aim is thereby to address policy, regulatory and business environment constraints and enhance the private sector's participation in the development of the leather, medical and pharmaceutical value chains. These value chains were selected for their potential to broaden the region’s industrial base and their job creation potential. Targeting them at the regional level will encourage SADC Member States to address obstacles to regional integration and motivate the private sector to upgrade production processes. Improving value chains is a key driver of the SADC regional industrialisation strategy 2015 - 2063 and the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan 2020 - 2030.Improving value chains is a key driver of the SADC Regional Industrialisation Strategy (RIS) 2015 - 2063 and the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) 2020 - 2030.