SABF and SADC
Posted by Daniel Makhura on 12 July 2017 10:30 AM SAST
more info about the above
The Southern Africa Business Forum (SABF), which has been endorsed by the SADC Secretariat. The SABF will now be the formalised structure for private engagement and partnership with SADC to enhance the private sector's role in achieving regional integration through cross border investment and trade. To facilitate dialogue and engagement between the SADC Secretariat and SADC Member States on the one hand, and the private sector doing business in the region on the other, working groups aligned with the Savuti Declaration focus areas have been established. These six working groups will consist of regional private sector representatives and relevant SADC officials with the aim of developing potential solutions to the challenges highlighted to doing business in the region, as well as jointly shaping projects which can unlock the region's socio-economic potential.
The six working groups:
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Industrialisation & Regional Value Chains;
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Movement of Services & Skills;
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Trade Facilitation;
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Transport Corridors;
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Energy Sector; and
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Water Sector.
Moreover the role of the business community in Southern African regional trade, investment and industrial policy formulation is crucial since private sector players are implementers, and often the intended beneficiaries of such policies. There has been an increased call from governments and development agencies for private sector to play a greater role in the economic and social development of Africa in order to ensure long term sustainability and growth. When the business community is engaged early on in business projects, it is much more likely that there will be buy-in from key stakeholders and that the design of processes can have a real impact on regional economic integration in the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC).
