Gibson Nyikadzino — The SADC industrialisation agenda is gathering momentum and presents the bloc's leaders with more opportunities to strategise on mechanisms that promote trade, job creation, women and youth empowerment, Tanzania's Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Mr Simon Siroo, has said.

In an interview with Zimpapers Politics Hub ahead of the 44th SADC Summit of Heads State and Government in Harare in August, Ambassador Siroo said the region would continue to underline regional industrialisation as a pillar of development, imploring those who will attend the 7th Annual SADC Industrialisation Week set for July 28 to August 2 to extensively market the region's economic initiatives.

"Industrialisation is the pillar of our development. Industry is everything. Once we talk industry, it means money, local and foreign investment.

"Therefore, by having the industrial week, it means we have to do something very important and crucial to connect our resources to the industrial agenda," he said.

Amb Siroo said prioritising the region's industrialisation agenda was key for member states to know what opportunities lay in different countries to feed into the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agenda.

He called on more information dissemination initiatives to build regional traction on issues relating to investments.

"Whenever investors come in from different countries in the SADC region, they are going to share information, but here we are lacking information.

"There are a lot of things to share so that bilaterally, some countries will come together and decide what has to be done together.

"The importance of industrialisation is seen in addressing the challenge of unemployment. Therefore, if we have enough industries, it is going to cut some of the challenges of unemployment because most of the young people and women will be employed," Amb Siroo said.

He praised SADC leaders for working to ensure regional stability and security to enhance the flow of trade and investments among member states.