The Southern African Development Community (SADC), in collaboration with the European Union (EU), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the International Trade Centre (ITC), has launched the Africa Trade Competitiveness and Market Access (ATCMA) – SADC Programme.
The €25 million regional initiative forms part of the EU’s broader €200 million ATCMA umbrella programme under the Global Gateway Africa–Europe Investment Package, aimed at unlocking the continent’s trade potential through enhanced market access, quality infrastructure and industrial competitiveness.
The announcement was made during the 8th edition of the SADC Industrialization Week in Antananarivo, Madagascar, a forum that convened ministers, private sector leaders, trade experts and development partners to explore avenues for deepening economic transformation and regional integration.
Boosting Africa’s Position in Global Value Chains
At its core, the ATCMA–SADC Programme is designed to address structural trade bottlenecks and unlock growth opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in high-potential sectors. Through targeted support for aligning products with international standards and improving regional Quality Infrastructure (QI) systems, the initiative seeks to fortify Africa’s role in global value chains.
The programme emphasizes inclusivity particularly the empowerment of women-led and youth-led businesses as well as sustainability and access to finance. With implementation led by UNIDO and ITC, the initiative will also promote fair, resilient and diversified supply chains throughout the SADC bloc.
“This is not just about access to markets,” said David Ralambofiringa, Madagascar’s Minister of Industrialization and Trade. “It is about strengthening export capabilities, enhancing product quality, and enabling our SMEs to compete globally.”
An Engine for Regional Integration
The ATCMA–SADC Programme represents a strategic component of the SADC Industrialization Strategy and Roadmap (2015–2063) and a tangible step toward realizing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
By addressing key technical and regulatory barriers, the programme will directly contribute to industrial diversification, employment generation and sustainable value addition.
Her Excellency Angele Makombo N’tumba, SADC Deputy Executive Secretary, hailed the programme as a “timely and strategic intervention” aligned with the bloc’s long-term economic vision: “As we launch this initiative, we reaffirm our commitment to building a region that thrives through innovation, inclusivity and sustainability.”
Europe–Africa Collaboration Under the Global Gateway
The initiative underscores the EU’s growing role as a strategic partner in Africa’s industrial and trade development. Speaking on behalf of the EU Delegation, Catalin Gherman, Deputy Head of Cooperation to Botswana and SADC, affirmed that the programme reflects “the strength and depth” of the longstanding EU–SADC partnership.
He noted that the ATCMA initiative would not only reduce market access barriers and improve regulatory systems, but also serve as a conduit for the €150 billion Global Gateway Investment Package, which supports green and digital transformation across Africa.
“Our aim is to swiftly operationalize this programme and ensure it delivers measurable, on-the-ground results,” Gherman said. “This is about turning ambition into tangible impact.”
Implementation Focus: Standards, Value Chains and Capacity Building
Diego Masera, UNIDO’s Regional Representative for Southern Africa, reiterated the organization’s commitment to advancing Africa’s industrial trajectory.
“We are here today with a shared purpose to deepen regional integration, enhance the quality infrastructure system, and unlock the continent’s potential through value-added trade.”
Echoing this, Escipion Oliveira Gomez, ITC Director of Country Programmes, highlighted the programme’s focus on strengthening SME linkages to regional and global value chains, improving productivity and supporting the shift toward higher-value goods.
Advancing Agenda 2063 and Sustainable Development Goals
The ATCMA–SADC Programme is tightly interwoven with continental and global development frameworks, including Africa’s Agenda 2063, the AfCFTA, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
By operationalizing key pillars of the SADC Vision 2050, the programme reinforces the region’s pursuit of industrial transformation and inclusive economic prosperity.
As SADC and its partners move to operationalize the initiative, stakeholders across sectors are being urged to engage proactively and align with its strategic goals.
This marks a pivotal moment in Southern Africa’s economic evolution a region poised to move from a resource-based growth model toward one that is diversified, technology-driven and globally competitive. The success of the ATCMA–SADC Programme may well determine the region’s capacity to trade smarter, industrialize faster and build prosperity that is both inclusive and enduring.
