The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Secretariat, the European Union (EU), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the International Trade Centre (ITC), and regional stakeholders convened the Second Africa Trade Competitiveness and Market Access (ATCMA) Programme Steering Committee Meeting on 29 July 2026, on the margins of the 9th SADC Industrialisation Week (SIW) in Durban, South Africa.
The meeting marked an important milestone in advancing the implementation of the €25 million European Union-funded ATCMA-SADC Programme, following its successful launch during the inaugural Stakeholder Engagement Workshop held in Gaborone, Botswana, in November 2025. Jointly implemented by UNIDO and ITC over the period 2025–2030, the Programme aims to enhance regional trade competitiveness, strengthen Quality Infrastructure, and promote sustainable industrialisation, value addition, and increased market access across the SADC region.
The Steering Committee Meeting was co-chaired by the Director of Industrial Development and Trade at the SADC Secretariat, Mr. Dhunraj Kassee, and the Head of Cooperation of the European Union Delegation to Botswana and SADC, Mr. Catalin Gherman. The meeting was also attended by SADC Member States; South Africa and Zambia, as well as the SADC Business Council, UNIDO, ITC and other Programme partners.
Mr. Kassee reaffirmed the strategic importance of the ATCMA Programme in advancing regional industrial development and economic transformation. He commended the European Union for its continued partnership and financial support, describing the Programme as a catalyst for unlocking regional value chains, promoting value addition and strengthening Southern Africa's competitiveness in regional and international markets. He further urged all partners to intensify implementation efforts to ensure the Programme delivers tangible and lasting socio-economic benefits for the people of the SADC region.
Mr. Gherman reaffirmed the European Union's commitment to supporting Southern Africa's economic transformation by improving market access and strengthening competitive regional value chains. He emphasised that identifying priority value chains is fundamental to unlocking investment, promoting industrialisation and creating sustainable trade opportunities that will contribute to long-term economic growth and regional integration.
The implementing partners collectively reaffirmed their commitment to working closely with the SADC Secretariat and Member States to accelerate implementation of the ATCMA Programme through the identification and development of high-potential regional value chains. They underscored the importance of coordinated action to improve market access, strengthen regional competitiveness and deliver sustainable industrialisation, inclusive trade and decent employment opportunities across the SADC region.
The Steering Committee reviewed progress achieved since the launch of the Programme and provided strategic guidance for the next phase of implementation. Deliberations focused on the identification and prioritisation of regional value chains, implementation progress, governance arrangements, adoption of the Programme's Terms of Reference, harmonisation of implementation processes and strengthening collaboration among implementing partners to ensure effective delivery of Programme outcomes.
Participants also explored approaches to developing resilient regional value chain ecosystems capable of accelerating industrialisation, expanding regional trade, creating employment opportunities and improving livelihoods across Southern Africa, with particular emphasis on increasing opportunities for women- and youth-owned small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
The Committee further received updates on Programme implementation and was briefed on the outcomes of relevant ministerial engagements, providing strategic direction for the continued delivery of the Programme throughout its 2025–2030 implementation period.
The ATCMA-SADC Programme supports regional efforts to enhance trade competitiveness by increasing manufacturing productivity, improving product quality and compliance with international standards, strengthening market information systems, and expanding market access for regional enterprises. It contributes to the implementation of the SADC Industrialization Strategy and Roadmap (2015–2063), SADC Vision 2050, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the African Union Agenda 2063, the Africa Quality Policy, the AU SME Strategy, the Accelerated Industrial Development of Africa (AIDA), and broader Regional Economic Community (REC) industrialisation priorities.
