SADC and European Union (EU) sign three new programmes totalling €47 million for a five-year period

On 18th August 2019, the Secretariat of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in conjunction with the European Union signed three Development Cooperation Programmes funded to the tune of €47 Million for a period of five years under the 11th European Development Fund (EDF 11).

The three programmes are:

• Support to Improving the Investment and Business Environment (SIBE);
• Trade Facilitation Programme (TFP) and Support to Industrialisation and Productive Sectors (SIPS) and in doing so support the operationalisation of the 39th SADC theme;
• A Conducive Environment for Inclusive and Sustainable Industrial Development, Increased Intra-Regional Trade and Job Creation.

The SIBE Programme aims at achieving sustainable and inclusive growth and job creation through the transformation of the region into a SADC investment zone, promoting intra-regional investment and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the SADC region, in particular for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

The Trade Facilitation Programme will contribute to enhancing inclusive economic development in the SADC region through deepening regional economic integration. Finally, the SIPS programme aims to contribute to the SADC industrialisation agenda by improving the performance and growth of selected regional value chains and related services within the agro-processing and pharmaceutical sectors.

Making her remarks following the signing of the three programmes, the SADC Executive Secretary, H.E Dr. Tax noted that signing of the three agreements reflects the continued partnership between SADC and EU towards enhancing the SADC regional integration and development, particularly at the time when SADC has committed to place the industrialisation at the centre of regional integration.

Original source: SADC
Published on 18 August 2019