SADC to Host 8th Annual Industrialisation Week in Madagascar
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) is set to convene the 8th Annual SADC Industrialisation Week (SIW) in Antananarivo, Madagascar, from July 28 to August 1, 2025.
The high-level event will be held at the Novotel Convention and Spa under the theme: “Advancing Industrialisation, Agricultural Transformation, and Energy Transition for a Resilient SADC.”
Organised in partnership with the Government of Madagascar, the Syndicat des Industries Madagascar (SIM), and the SADC Business Council, the SIW is SADC’s premier public-private engagement platform.
It brings together policymakers, private sector leaders, development partners, researchers, civil society, and regional and international investors to accelerate economic transformation and promote industrial cooperation in Southern Africa.
This year’s event will feature a series of activities, including plenary sessions, technical workshops, business-to-business meetings, exhibitions, and visits to local manufacturing sites.
Key topics will include mineral beneficiation, agro-processing, pharmaceutical manufacturing, energy transition, infrastructure development, women and youth entrepreneurship, and opportunities within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The 2025 SIW aims to reinforce awareness and implementation of the SADC Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap (2015–2063), encourage collective stakeholder action, and identify bankable regional projects, especially those aligned with regional value chains in pharmaceuticals, agro-processing, and minerals.
It also seeks to enhance SME participation, build cross-border partnerships, and promote inclusive industrial growth.
Dr. Elias Magosi, SADC Executive Secretary, emphasised that the upcoming SIW will serve as a springboard for public-private investments and innovation-led growth across key economic sectors.
“By coming together in Madagascar, we are sending a strong signal of unity and purpose to drive industrial transformation that benefits all SADC Member States,” he said.
Following successful SIWs hosted in countries such as Eswatini, South Africa, Namibia, Malawi, and Tanzania, the 2025 edition in Madagascar is expected to set a new benchmark for regional industrial cooperation and sustainable development.
