The SADC Business Council will host the Southern African Industrialisation Forum from 26-27 February 2024 at Sandton Hotel, in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The prestigious two-day event will convene top government and business leaders to shape industrial priorities and investment opportunities focused largely on Angola with the theme focus, Human and Financial Capital: The Key Drivers for Sustainable Industrialisation in the SADC Region.
With Angola as the centrepiece, forum conversations will cover human capital development, trade and investment facilitation, infrastructure development, and targeted high-potential sectors like automotive, pharmaceuticals, tourism, renewable energy and transport and logistics.
"Angola is actively diversifying its economy and expanding regional trade, making it an ideal focal point for this forum," says Peter Varndell, Executive Director of the SADC Business Council. Varndell goes on to say, "We will catalyse valued connections, collaborations and deals to boost socio-economic prospects across SADC."
The Southern African Industrialisation Forum has already received support from leading institutions like the African Development Bank, Afreximbank, Banco Sol, BADEA and Coca-Cola Company amongst other key organisations. More than 300 delegates are expected, comprising government ministers, policymakers, businesses, investors and financial institutions.
"The SADC region has a great potential when it comes to industrialisation. The African Development Bank has significantly increased its own financing to industrialise Africa and leverage additional resources from financial partners. We strongly believe that partnering with governments, the private sector, regional organisations and other development partners is the key to address the major bottlenecks in industrialisation for a more prosperous Africa", said Nick Williams, Manager at the Industrial and Trade Development Department of the African Development Bank.
"We have shaped a forum that fosters tangible engagement between stakeholders who can collectively accelerate industrialisation, trade and investment leading to shared prosperity in Southern Africa," added Lynne Jongwe, Programme Coordinator at the SADC Business Council. "The forum will produce investment commitments and commercial partnerships for Angola and beyond."
The event also offers extensive networking sessions for businesses to showcase expertise, build strategic relationships, and potentially secure bilateral deals onsite.
Registration for the Southern African Industrialisation Forum is open at https://eventee.co/event/19676. To attend online, refer to the meeting link in the session you would like to attend. For enquiries, contact Lynne Jongwe at [email protected].
