Experts adopt report recommendations to implement regional industrial policies

The major objective of the event was to develop action plans on promotion and implementation of regional and national industrialization policies.

Experts from the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Sub-Regional Office for Southern Africa (SRO-SA) and the Government of Zambia held a two-day National Action Planning workshop from 10th to 11th August 2022 on the alignment and harmonization of regional and national frameworks on industrialization.

The major objective of the event was to develop action plans on promotion and implementation of regional and national industrialization policies for inclusive and sustainable development in Southern Africa.

This workshop was organized based on the recommendations from the study findings of ECA report which focused on the adoption of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) industrialization policy frameworks and strategies as new industrialization trajectory for regional member States including Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

The Acting Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry Mrs. Nalituba C. Mwale officiated at the workshop on behalf of the Permanent Secretary Mrs. Chawe P.M Chuulu. In her remarks, she commended ECA in ensuring that the National Industrial Policy is in tandem with those of the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) thereby attaining the aspirations of the regional economic agenda and the vision 2063. She said that, “I am confident that this workshop which holds the key to accelerating industrialization in the country and the sub-region as a whole will provide us with the opportunity to review and recommend appropriate interventions to take into consideration when reviewing our National Industrial Policy Implementation Plan whose tenure is elapsing in the year 2028”.

ECA SRO-SA welcoming remarks were delivered by Isatou Gaye, Chief, Sub-regional Initiatives Section who applauded the government of Zambia for taking steps to harmonize and align its National Industrial Strategy with key regional frameworks, critical for accelerating industrialization in the country and the region. She also noted that the office will continue supporting member States in plans, strategies that they collectively developed and committed themselves. This should be in line with the office’s flagship projects, “Promotion and Implementation of Regional and National Industrialization Policies for Inclusive and Sustainable Development in Southern Africa”, with the central objective of supporting and accelerating regional industrialization.

ECA Economic Affairs Officer, Fanwell Bokosi gave a brief background on the workshop and presented the objectives of the study on alignment and harmonisation of regional and national frameworks on industrialisation and national domestication of regional strategies and policies to support industrial development in Southern Africa (Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe) He urged the experts to discuss the study recommendations and develop an action plan towards alignment and harmonization of the national and regional industrialization frameworks.

The workshop was attended by Government representatives from Ministries of Commerce, Trade and Industry, Energy, Agriculture, Transport and Logistics, Lands and Natural Resources, Fisheries and Livestock, Green Economy and Environment, Small and Medium Enterprises, Science and Technology, Finance National and Planning, Zambia Development Agency, Lusaka Multi-facility zone, Zambia Bureau of Standards, , Zambia compulsory Standards Agency, Zambia Metrology Agency, Zambia Association of Manufacturers, Zambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Zambia Federation for Women in Business, Bank of Zambia, University of Zambia, Zambia Institute of Policy Analysis and Research, Centre for trade policy and Development, MitaHils Consultancy and the Patents and Companies Registration Agency.

Cassien Tribunal Aungane, Editor