SADC Ministers Unite in Harare to Accelerate Trade, Industrialisation, and Regional Integration
Ministers attending the 34th Southern African Development Community (SADC) Committee of Ministers of Trade and the 24th Ministerial Taskforce on Regional Economic Integration have renewed calls for accelerated intra-regional trade, industrialisation, and deeper economic integration.
The high-level meeting, held on June 5, 2025, in Harare, focused on advancing regional cooperation through implementation of key trade protocols and industrial strategies.
Chairing the meetings, Honourable Professor Amon Murwira, Zimbabwe’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, emphasized the need for unity and urged Member States to ratify pending protocols such as the SADC Protocol on Trade, the Protocol on Industry, and the Protocol on Trade in Services.
He described regional integration as the cornerstone of SADC’s vision for a prosperous and interconnected future.
“The basis of SADC is that together we have a prosperous common future,” Prof. Murwira said. “We must move away from constructing barriers amongst ourselves and instead focus on unity and deeper economic collaboration.”
He also highlighted the global uncertainty in trade and the need for SADC to build resilience by strengthening value chains and increasing intra-regional trade.
SADC Executive Secretary H.E. Elias M. Magosi echoed the urgency of the moment, citing recent geopolitical shifts as a wake-up call for the region to accelerate integration efforts. “We must not think of short-term fixes but rather long-term solutions that position SADC as a competitive global player,” he said.
The Ministers adopted several key decisions to enhance regional trade and industrial capacity. These included the adoption of the SADC Investment Climate Scorecard, developed in collaboration with the European Union, the World Bank, and the OECD, to improve the region’s business environment.
They also endorsed the regional SME Strategy and the SADC Investment Practical Guide to empower small and medium enterprises and attract foreign direct investment.
Angola was commended for completing its tariff offer to join the SADC Free Trade Area, marking a significant milestone in consolidating regional trade frameworks. The Ministers directed the SADC Secretariat to finalise an analysis of the region’s top imports and exports based on priority value chains to support strategic production and trade efforts.
The Ministers also discussed improving pharmaceutical manufacturing through regional pooled procurement mechanisms and encouraged participation in the 8th SADC Industrialisation Week, to be held from 28 July to 1 August 2025 in Madagascar.
Furthermore, Member States were urged to support the revision of the SADC Protocol on Mining and re-establish the Mining Ministerial Forum to guide policy in the mineral sector.
As part of efforts to build a unified voice on continental trade matters, the Ministers endorsed the establishment of a SADC AfCFTA Consultative Forum. They also urged Member States to ratify the COMESA-EAC-SADC Tripartite Free Trade Area Agreement, now set to be celebrated at a Tripartite Summit following its official entry into force on July 25, 2024.
The meetings concluded with congratulations to the winners of the 2025 SADC Quality Awards. Ministers encouraged more national-level competitions to promote standards and improve the global competitiveness of regional goods and services.
The discussions were held under the momentum of the 44th SADC Summit’s theme: “Promoting Innovation to Unlock Opportunities for Sustained Economic Growth and Development towards an Industrialised SADC.” This guiding vision continues to inspire collective action to modernise economies, harness natural resources, and create shared prosperity across the region.
