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ANAPRI participated in the SADC Business Council Strategic Dialogue Webinar, Unlocking Trade and Investment in SADC: Exploiting Opportunities under Current Global Shifts in AGOA and the China–Africa Economic Partnership Agreement (CAEPA), held virtually on 11 June 2026. The webinar convened senior representatives from the SADC Secretariat, the SADC Business Council, government, the private sector, academia and development partners to examine how Southern Africa can strengthen its trade and investment position amid evolving global trade dynamics. The programme featured keynote presentations, expert panel discussions and a strategic dialogue on positioning SADC to maximise opportunities arising from preferential trade arrangements while advancing regional industrialisation and competitiveness.
Representing ANAPRI, Dr. Tinashe Kapuya, Director of Research, delivered a presentation on “Scaling Exports under AGOA: Aggregation, Quality Assurance and Last-Mile Challenges.” His contribution emphasised that preferential market access alone is insufficient to increase exports. Rather, AGOA and similar trade arrangements should be viewed as platforms for building internationally competitive production systems capable of meeting demanding export market requirements.
Dr. Kapuya highlighted three strategic priorities for SADC. First, he underscored the importance of aggregation, arguing that fragmented production must be transformed into organised regional value chains capable of delivering consistent volumes, quality and reliability. Second, he stressed that quality assurance should be treated as a strategic investment rather than a compliance cost, calling for stronger regional certification systems, accredited laboratories, traceability platforms and export-readiness programmes. Third, he argued that resolving last-mile constraints, including logistics, customs procedures, export finance and border efficiency, is essential for converting market access opportunities into sustained commercial exports.
The presentation concluded with four practical recommendations for SADC: prioritise export-ready value chains, establish regional export aggregation platforms, invest in quality infrastructure as core trade infrastructure, and develop a regional mechanism to support exporters with compliance, logistics and market access challenges. Dr. Kapuya emphasised that while trade preference programmes such as AGOA and CAEPA create opportunities, long-term export growth will ultimately depend on stronger regional competitiveness, deeper value chain integration and more effective public-private collaboration. His closing message captured the central theme of the discussion: “Preferences open the door, but competitiveness keeps the door open.”