Antananarivo, Madagascar — July 29, 2025

Madagascar’s President Andry Rajoelina, newly appointed Chairperson of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), inaugurated the 8th SADC Industrialization Week (SIW) with a resounding call for agricultural transformation and a shift to renewable energy, setting the tone for a new era of regional integration and sustainable development.

Speaking at the Novotel Hotel and Spa in Antananarivo, President Rajoelina reaffirmed Madagascar’s commitment to driving industrial growth by investing in farming mechanisation, promoting local value addition, and accelerating the energy transition.

“Our fertile land is our greatest asset in the fight against poverty. By mechanising our farming systems, we aim to triple our yields in the coming years,” Rajoelina declared, citing a jump from 2.5 to 9 tons per hectare as a national target.

He warned that the high cost of electricity — due to dependency on thermal energy — remains a barrier to economic expansion and stressed the urgent need for renewable alternatives to support competitive, job-creating industries.

The high-level summit convened regional leaders, private sector players, development agencies, and civil society stakeholders to assess progress under the SADC Industrialization Strategy and Roadmap (2015–2063). Delegates tackled pressing issues including infrastructure gaps, trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and the potential of value chains across strategic sectors like minerals, pharmaceuticals, leather, and agro-processing.

SADC Deputy Secretary for Regional Integration, Angele Makombo N’tumba, acknowledged the region’s uneven industrialisation trajectory. With industry contributing just 13% of SADC’s GDP, she called for renewed commitment to reverse reliance on unprocessed raw material exports.

“The Strategy is central to enhancing productivity, boosting regional trade, and integrating our economies into global markets,” she said.

The SIW event underscored the strategic importance of industrialisation to Africa’s long-term development agenda, linking directly to the African Union’s Agenda 2063. As Chairperson, President Rajoelina’s leadership signals intensified efforts to build resilient, inclusive economies that leverage local resources for regional prosperity.