ANTANANARIVO – July 29, 2025 – Madagascar’s President Andry Rajoelina officially launched the 8th Southern African Development Community (SADC) Industrialization Week on Tuesday at the Novotel Hotel and Spa in Antananarivo, using the platform to outline his vision for a competitive and sustainable regional economy.
Rajoelina, who is also the incoming SADC Chairperson, told delegates that Madagascar is prioritising agricultural mechanisation and energy reforms to increase productivity and reduce poverty. He said the country’s fertile land remains its greatest resource and announced plans to triple agricultural yields from 2.5 to 9 tons per hectare through improved farming techniques.
He added that the high cost of electricity, largely due to dependence on thermal sources, is stalling industrial growth. Madagascar, he said, is now pushing for a quicker shift to renewable energy to support local industries and create jobs.
SADC Deputy Executive Secretary for Regional Integration, Angele Makombo N’tumba, said the region’s industrial base remains underdeveloped, contributing just 13 percent to the collective Gross Domestic Product. She said most SADC economies still depend on exporting raw materials with little value addition.
Makombo pointed to the SADC Industrialization Strategy and Roadmap 2015–2063 as a tool to boost value chains, enhance productivity, and deepen integration into African and global markets. She said industrialisation remains key to transforming natural resources into economic gains.
This year’s gathering has drawn government officials, investors, development agencies, and civil society from across the region. Discussions are centred on policy implementation, regional value chains, infrastructure, energy transition, regulatory alignment, and trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
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