ECA Sub-region Office for Southern Africa will convene the 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 is a UN statutory annual meeting which brings together experts from Southern Africa and the continent to discuss current pressing issues affecting the social and political economy of the Southern Africa region. The past ICE meetings have attracted experts and a wide pool of stakeholders from governments, private sector, academia, international development organizations and civil society.

The upcoming ICE will focus on industrialization, beneficiation and value addition a current and recurring subject in Southern Africa. The meeting will advance the recommendations made the by the last SADC Head of State Summit in August 2013 in which they requested for a clear roadmap to accelerate industrialization in the region.

An issues paper ‘Accelerating Industrialization in Southern Africa through Beneficiation and Value Addition’ will form the main document for discussion and review. The 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 in March 2015.

Further the ICE will provide a forum for sharing ideas and lessons from a diverse pool of expertise and experiences through roundtables, presentations and open discussions.