SADC and EU Host Trade Competitiveness Workshop in Gaborone
The Southern African Development Community (SADC), in partnership with the European Union, has opened a two-day Africa Trade Competitiveness and Market Access (ATCMA) Stakeholder Engagement Workshop in Gaborone, Botswana.
The workshop, running from 12–13 November, forms part of a €25 million EU-funded programme aimed at strengthening trade competitiveness, improving regional Quality Infrastructure, and boosting both intra-African and Africa–EU trade. The initiative is jointly implemented by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the International Trade Centre (ITC).
The event brings together representatives from the SADC Secretariat, the EU Delegation to Botswana, the SADC Business Council, UNIDO and ITC technical teams, as well as public and private sector focal points from across the region.
According to organisers, the workshop aims to introduce the programme framework, gather stakeholder input, and shape the prioritisation of regional value chains. Discussions will also help map beneficiaries and identify synergies with ongoing industrial and trade initiatives.
The ATCMA Programme is regarded as a flagship EU effort to promote sustainable and inclusive value-chain development in Africa. It supports the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the EU Global Gateway strategy and the European Green Deal. The programme covers six regional components, continental, East Africa, West Africa, Central Africa (ECCAS), Southern Africa (SADC) and East and Southern Africa (COMESA).
For the SADC region, the focus will be on identifying value chains with strong industrial and trade potential. With abundant natural resources, SADC has clear advantages in agro-processing, natural-resource-based industries, and emerging manufacturing sectors, including pharmaceuticals and vehicle assembly.
Officials say the programme will advance sustainable industrialisation, regional value addition, and stronger commercial links between Africa and the EU. It will also support the implementation of the SADC Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap (2015–2063), Vision 2050, and wider continental and global development goals, including Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals.
