HARARE, July 28 -- The seventh edition of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Industrialization Week began Sunday in Harare, Zimbabwe's capital, with calls to accelerate the region's industrialization.

The SADC Industrialization Week is the largest public-private engagement platform dedicated to industrialization and fostering intra-African trade and investment. It gathered industry stakeholders from 16 SADC member states, including Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

The SADC industrialization week precedes the 44th Ordinary SADC Heads of State and Government Summit scheduled for Aug. 17 in Zimbabwe.

Speaking at a media event for the SADC Industrialization Week, Zimbabwe's Minister of Publicity, Information and Broadcasting Services Jenfan Muswere said the industrialization week would showcase investment opportunities across various value chains and facilitate networking among stakeholders in the industrial sectors.

"Let's seize this opportunity to forge partnerships, exchange ideas and chart the course towards a prosperous, inclusive, and sustainable future of the SADC region," said Muswere.

Muswere observed that the annual event presents an opportunity for various sectors to showcase their potential and foster collaboration. The key focus for this year's edition includes mineral beneficiation, agro-processing, financial services, fast-moving consumer goods, pharmaceuticals, infrastructure development, and women and youth entrepreneurship, he said.

Angele Makombo N'tumba, SADC's deputy executive secretary for Regional Integration, applauded the media for facilitating public understanding of the regional industrialization agenda.

"Together we can highlight the transformative power of industrialization and its role in shaping a sustainable and prosperous future for our region," she said while addressing the press.

The week-long event is being hosted by the SADC Secretariat, in collaboration with the government of Zimbabwe, the SADC Business Council, and the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries.

  - Xinhua