China's elimination of tariffs on imports from 53 African countries could open up new trade and investment opportunities on the continent, according to participants in a webinar organized by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Secretariat and the SADC Business Council.

The meeting, held under the theme "Liberating Trade and Investment in SADC", analyzed the region's trade and investment prospects in a context marked by changes in the global economy.

Wolfe Braude, fruit manager at the South African Chamber of Agricultural Business, noted that African countries should take advantage of access to the Chinese consumer market. China began applying zero tariffs to imports from 53 African countries with which it maintains diplomatic relations on May 1.

Braude indicated that Chinese demand for certain agricultural products, especially meat, represents a significant opportunity for African exporters.

For his part, Khulekani Mathe, president of the SADC Business Council, stated that the region must focus on strengthening industrial competitiveness, advancing regional integration, and creating conditions that promote trade and investment growth.

According to Mathe, SADC countries need to harmonize their regulations, reduce trade barriers, and facilitate the cross-border movement of goods, services, and investments. She added that greater regional integration and stronger value chains will be key to capitalizing on the opportunities offered by initiatives such as the China-Africa Economic Partnership Agreement.

“If we strengthen regional value chains in sectors such as agricultural processing, car manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, value-added mining, textiles, green industries, and digital trade, we will significantly improve our competitiveness both regionally and internationally,” Mathe said.

Dhunraj Kassee, Director of Industrial Development and Trade at the SADC Secretariat, called for the establishment of national implementation committees to monitor the progress and challenges associated with the agreements between China and Africa.

Kassee argued that African countries should use the China-Africa Economic Partnership Agreement to strengthen their industrial capacity and competitiveness, while also creating new export opportunities for local producers.