The Southern African Development Community (SADC), in partnership with the European Union (EU), the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), and the International Trade Centre (ITC), has officially launched the Africa Trade Competitiveness and Market Access (ATCMA) – SADC Programme.
The €25-million EU-funded regional initiative is designed to enhance trade competitiveness, strengthen regional quality infrastructure, and boost both intra-African and Africa–EU trade.
Jointly implemented by UNIDO and ITC, the ATCMA-SADC Programme aims to increase the competitiveness of southern African small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in high-potential value chains by improving market access, aligning products with international standards, and enhancing the region’s quality infrastructure.
It will place a strong emphasis on supporting women-led and youth-led SMEs, boosting economic inclusion, promoting access to finance and sustainable business practices within the region. It will also facilitate the development of fair, resilient and sustainable regional and international supply chains and contributing to Africa’s deeper integration into global trade.
The SADC component forms part of the wider €200-million EU-funded Africa Trade Competitiveness and Market Access (ATCMA) umbrella programme, which includes one continental component and five regional components covering COMESA, ECOWAS, EAC, ECCAS, and SADC, as part of the EU’s Global Gateway strategy.
Speaking at the launch in Antananarivo, David Ralambofiringa, Madagascar’s minister of industrialisation and trade, says: “The ATCMA-SADC programme offers a unique opportunity to develop key value chains in the SADC region. The programme is an opportunity for us to strengthen the capacity of our SMEs to export, diversify, add value and compete on the international stage. This is not merely about improving market access but also about removing technical barriers, enhancing product quality and supporting economic actors in the region.”
Angele Makombo N’tumba, deputy-executive secretary of SADC Secretariat, adds: “The ATCMA–SADC Programme, generously supported by the European Union, and implemented in partnership with UNIDO and ITC, is a timely and strategic initiative. It comes at a crucial moment when SADC is intensifying efforts to implement the SADC Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap (2015–2063), a cornerstone of our regional integration agenda. As we launch this important initiative, let us reaffirm our dedication to a region that thrives through innovation, inclusivity, sustainability, and partnership.”
Catalin Gherman, deputy-head of co-operation of the EU delegation to Botswana and SADC, comments: “This comprehensive Trade Competitiveness and Market Access Programme reflects the strength and depth of the long-standing partnership between the European Union and SADC and also illustrates the robustness of the cooperation with the implementing partners.
“At the EU, we are proud to support the objectives of the programme, and the SADC efforts in reducing market access barriers, strengthening the regional and national quality infrastructure systems, and value chain development, building altogether a more integrated and more prosperous region.
“This also contributes to the Global Gateway Africa-Europe Investment Package, which aims to mobilise €150-billion in Africa to support the green and digital transformation of the continent. We look forward to working closely, across institutions, across borders, and across sectors, to swiftly operationalize the programme and ensure that it delivers meaningful and tangible results on the ground.”
Diego Masera, UNIDO representative of the South Africa regional office, states: “SADC, the EU and UNIDO embarked decades ago on a journey to build a strong trade partnership. Today, we are gathered with a shared vision: to enhance Africa’s trade competitiveness and unlock market access across SADC. This is a call to deepen regional integration, empower local industries, strengthen the quality infrastructure system, boost value addition and diversification and create pathways out of poverty through inclusive and sustainable industrial development.’
ITC director of country programmes Escipion Joaquin Oliveira Gomez says: “For ITC, the SADC component of the ATCMA offers a strategic opportunity to empower small businesses in the region to play a greater role in regional, continental, and global value chains, strengthening industrial growth, boosting productivity, and driving the shift of SADC economies toward higher value-added goods.”