The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) Sub-regional Office for Southern Africa will convene its 21st Session of the Intergovernmental Committee of Experts (ICE) meeting on Accelerating Industrialization in Southern Africa through Beneficiation and Value Addition from 12-13 March 2015 in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.

The ICE meeting is a United Nations statutory meeting which brings together experts from Southern Africa and the continent to discuss current and pressing issues affecting the social and political economy of the Southern Africa region. Past ICE meetings have attracted experts and a wide pool of stake-holders from member States, private sector, academia, international organizations, civil society and the United Nations. The ICE provides a forum for sharing ideas and lessons from a diverse pool of expertise and experiences through round-tables, presentations and open discussions.

The upcoming ICE will focus on industrialization, beneficiation and value addition; a current and recurring subject in the region among member States and the Regional Economic Communities. The meeting seeks to advance recommendations made by the SADC Head of State Summit in August 2014 calling for a clear road-map to accelerate industrialization in the region. In addition, the Common Market for East Southern Africa – COMESA is finalizing an Industrialization Strategy to which ECA has provided technical assistance.

An issues paper ‘Accelerating Industrialization in Southern Africa through Beneficiation and Value Addition’ will form the main document for review and discussion. Recommendations from the meeting will be presented to the Conference of Ministers; an annual gathering of ministers responsible for finance and planning on the continent from 25-31 March 2015 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The ICE will be preceded by a two-day Expert Group Meeting on ‘Agro-industry development for food and nutritional security in Southern Africa’ to discuss and review the state of the agriculture sector in Southern Africa. The meeting with take place from 9th to 10th March 2015, at the same venue.