The SADC Business Council (SADC BC), hosted by the NEPAD Business Foundation, is a regional apex body of national business associations in the 16 SADC Member States. SADC BC continues to play a pivotal role in involving the private sector in SADC decision-making processes and driving the implementation of SADC plans and priority programmes.

As a platform for accessing and engaging with business leaders, governments, policymakers, and industry leaders across the region, the SADC BC contributes towards addressing technical issues affecting regional integration and advocating for sectoral and multi-sectoral business interests.

Highlights from the past year include:

• Jointly hosting the 6th annual SADC Industrialisation Week in Kinshasa, DRC, in collaboration with the DRC government and SADC Secretariat.
• Training the Private Sector Foundation of Lesotho, economic operators, private sector associations, and national focal persons on the identification and resolution of Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs).
• Hosting AfCFTA stakeholder consultation meetings to discuss effective implementation of the agreement.
• Participating in regional business engagements such as the OACPS Business Forum, Regional Industrialization Policy Dialogue, and the launch of the SADC Tourism Business Platform.
• Jointly hosting a conference on the ‘Implementation of Circular Economy/EPR regulations in SADC’ with the European Commission and Coca-Cola Beverages Africa.
• Launching the SADC – Africa Trade and Investment Marketplace with Afreximbank to promote regional trade and investment.
• Creating the SADC private sector Tax Regulatory Harmonisation platform to address common tax regulatory issues across economic sectors.

Through its working groups focused on areas such as MSME development, regional tourism, non-tariff barriers, trade facilitation, circular economy, and tax harmonisation, the SADC BC continues to facilitate collaboration between the private sector, governments, and stakeholders to drive regional economic growth and integration.

For more information, please visit the SADC BC website, follow SADC BC on LinkedIn or contact Lynne Jongwe at Lynne.Jongwe@thenbf.co.za