The Economic Commission for Africa, Subregional Office for Southern Africa (ECA-SRO-SA) in collaboration with the SADC Business Council (SADC BC) will hold a Regional Meeting on Technology and Innovation for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Southern Africa from 21 – 23 June, 2023 in Cape town, South Africa. This meeting will be preceded by a Brainstorming Meeting on the Technology and Innovation Platform for SMEs 19-20 June 2023, at the same venue.
The Brainstorming Meeting will discuss the operationalization of a Technology and Innovation Platform for SMEs that was set up for the SADC Business Council by the ECA-SRO-SA, through a technical assistance project, Global MSME Surge Project – Phase 2 in 2021. Under the same project, ECA-SRO-SA is finalizing two studies, in relation to building linkages between MSMEs and Southern-led Multi-National Companies (MNCs) in Southern Africa, and the role of technology incubators in MSME development in Southern Africa, themes that were discussed at the SADC Industrialisation Week in 2021 in Malawi.
ECA-SRO-SA is currently implementing another technical assistance project, namely the UNDA 13th tranche project, “Innovative approaches for MSME competitiveness to promote trade and inclusive industrialization in Southern Africa in the Post-COVID context”. The objective of the project is to strengthen capacities of MSMEs in six Southern African member states (Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zambia) to design and apply innovative approaches to enhance their competitiveness. ECA-SRO-SA is conducting two other studies funded by the above-mentioned project. The first aims to develop a diagnostic assessment of the state of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) by industrial-based MSMEs in the six target countries. The second study aims to identify opportunities for MSMEs in the target countries to integrate into national, regional, and global value-chains, and trade at higher levels and to build back better post-Covid.
Objectives of the Regional Meeting
The overall objective of the meeting is to provide a platform for participants to critically examine the four studies in order to inform their finalization. The meeting will aim to facilitate exchanges on how MSMEs can harness STI and become important drivers of industrialization and trade in Southern Africa. It will also provide a platform for Government institutions, private sector actors including MSMEs, STI community, technology incubators, academia and all relevant stakeholders to share experiences, including best practices and lessons on how to strengthen capacities and enhance the competitiveness of MSMEs to thrive in a post-Covid era.
The meeting will also present and discuss the results of the surveys that have been implemented in the 11 member states of ECA-SRO-SA to assess the impacts of Covid-19 and the Ukraine Crisis on MSMEs in Southern Africa and the role of technology and innovation and trade in their recovery. A set of 11 country reports and a regional report based on the surveys, will be finalized in collaboration with the SADC Business Council and national business associations of each country.
Project and Meeting Focal Point.
Ms. Bineswaree Bolaky
Economic Affairs Officer
Sub-Regional Initiatives Section
United Nations Economic Commission for Africa
Sub Regional Office for Southern Africa
Lusaka, Zambia
E-mail : bineswaree.bolaky@un.org