As of October 2020, SACU undertook to promote industrial development through the development of regional value chains (RVCs), export promotion, and investment. The main goal being contribution towards an integrated regional market that would enhance Member States’ international competitiveness. The SACU Strategic Plan also seeks to improve the region’s industrial base, promote sectoral complementarities in production, as well as backward and forward linkages that would promote diversification across the region. Furthermore, the SACU region, through this Programme, will pursue a systematic approach and practical steps to deepening industrialisation whilst simultaneously positioning the region to take full advantage of the opportunities presented by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

In this regard SACU Member States have selected a number of priority sectors that would be targeted for the development of Regional Value Chains (RVC).These are Agro-processing (Leather and Leather products, Fruits and Vegetables, Meat and Meat products), Textiles and Clothing and Cosmetics and Essential Oils. These sectors offer extensive opportunities for the development of RVCs across SACU. To advance this work, a series of Sectoral Roundtables focusing of the priority sectors were held between March and July 2021. The Sectoral Roundtables identified the development and investment potentials in the priority sectors, along with the policy constraints and challenges faced by the industry within the SACU Region.