UNE APPROCHE GLOBALE DE LA SOCIÉTÉ Le rôle des femmes est essentiel pour bâtir des communautés résilientes après la Covid-19 ÉDITION 317 151 – VENDREDI 20 23 NOVEMBRE JUIN 2017 2020 L’HEBDOMADAIRE DIGITAL GRATUIT L’HEBDOMADAIRE ÉLECTRONIQUE GRATUIT Dr Stergomena Lawrence Tax  : « We must unite and take collective action to drive the regional and continental industrialization agenda » On the 20th November, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region joins the rest of the world to commemorate Africa Industrialization Day, a day that was proclaimedby the 25th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in July 1989, and the UN General Assembly, on December 22, 1989. This year’s commemoration is under the theme ‘Inclusive and Sustainable Industrialization in the era of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)’. The theme underscores the importance of policy harmonization and alignment across national borders as a pre-requisite for cross border investment and for the movement of goods, capital and people AFRICA INDUSTRIALIZATION DAY This year’s commemoration comes at a time when the region, and the world at large are confronted with an unprecedented public health crisis of COV- ID-19 with far-reaching social and economic consequences. The virus has exposed the deep inequalities that continue to exist in the SADC region and across the African continent. It has clearly shown how far we are from realizing the developmental goals and responsibilities to the SADC citizens. On a positive note, the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated how the region is able to successfully work together to overcome its challenges, even during times of unprecedented crises. As a major driver of the planned transformation for the region, the industrial sector is one of the sectors significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is important that SADC Member States understand and appreciate the extent of the damage that the pandemic has on their economies, and respond with appropriate measures to ensure that the disruption does not seriously negate key developments in the industrialization drive of the region. « SADC understands that industrialization, with strong linkages to domestic economies, will help SADC Member States and African countries, to enhance productivity, diversify their economies, achievehigh growth rates, and thus, reduce exposure to external shocks. This will substantially contribute to poverty eradication through employment and wealth creation », says SADC Executive Secretary, H.E Dr Stergomena Lawrence Tax. SADC has over the years been at the forefront in driving the industrialization agenda by putting in place policies and strategies to boost and catalyse industrialization and transformation of the region. The transformation of SADC economies aims to create decent jobs, promote value adding development approaches, and improve the welfare of citizens, and ultimately eradicate poverty in the region. « We call on Member States to continue improving the business environment to enable the private sector recover from the devastating effects of the COV- ID-19 pandemic, and more importantly, to partake of the opportunities created by SADC integration programmes. This year’s Africa Industrialization Day should serve as a reminder for the region to unite and take collective action to accelerate industrialization and drive the regional and continental industrialization agenda », concluded Dr Lawrence Tax.