SADC leaders commit to delivering industrialisation
Leaders of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) have adopted the Durban Declaration, committing to accelerate industrialization and improve regional infrastructure. The initiative aims to address lagging manufacturing targets and boost intra-African trade by 2030.
Why it matters
The commitment is crucial for the economic development and regional integration of Southern African nations, which currently face significant logistical and industrial challenges.
Southern African Development Community (SADC) leaders closed the regional bloc's trade conference on Thursday with a commitment to turn discussions into delivery by accelerating industrialisation, boosting intra-Africa trade, and removing the infrastructure and logistics bottlenecks hindering economic growth.
The region's leaders adopted the Durban Declaration at the 9th SADC Industrialisation Week, setting out a shared commitment to fast-track industrialisation by strengthening regional value chains, boosting beneficiation of critical minerals and agricultural products, investing in energy, transport and digital infrastructure, and scaling up support for small businesses, skills and innovation.
The declaration comes at a time when SADC is lagging in its industrialisation targets, with manufacturing value added slipping from 11.3% of regional GDP in 2024 to 10.9% in 2025, against a regional goal of 30% by 2030.
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