Welcome to the Trade Directory for the World Trade Centers of Africa

The World Trade Center (WTC) Africa initiative is identifying Africa's leading products and services that are able to successfully grow and expand into the African continent.  A major stumbling block we have always faced in Africa is our limited access to reliable business contacts, information and media platforms to market communicate and trade effectively with each other. Those days are coming to an end with the launch of 14 World Trade Centers in Sub Sahara Africa and the collaborative marketing efforts of all the governmental and non-governmental trade, industry and export promotion agencies across Africa.  Please see www.FUTUREOFTRADE.com

Registering your company, products and services on our platform allows us to effectively promote your trade or service offering as well as follow through on the matchmaking services we offer to help grow your business into Africa

This invitation to register with the WTC Trade Directory will give you access to upload a company profile on our Online Trade portals.

The WTC manages the following trade and industry websites to promote trade and investment into Africa, www.WTC.co.za,  www.GVPedia.com and www.DiplomatAfrica.org.

The registration fee is $360, - to upload a company profile for a 24 month peroid .

Please contact info@GVPedia.com to submit your company profile and register for the event.

Introduction from the SADC Trade Directorate

Showcasing Southern African Trade and Industry 

It is my honour and privilege to write this introduction for the ‘Top Export, Business and Trade Directory for Southern Africa’ which will help us to break international barriers and encourage the free flow of skills, knowledge, technology, products, services and investments in the region.

The SADC vision is one of a common future within a regional community that will ensure economic well-being, improvement of the standards of living and quality of life, freedom and social justice: peace and security for the peoples of Southern Africa. This shared vision is anchored on the common values and principles and the historical and cultural affinities that exist amongst the peoples of Southern Africa.

We are pleased with the progress of the SADC Free Trade Area (FTA) that was realized in 2008 following an 8 year period of tariff liberalization provided for under the SADC Protocol on trade. Currently the membership of this FTA is comprised of the following twelve (12) of SADC’s fifteen (15) Member States: Botswana, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Under the FTA around 85% tariff lines are now at zero rate with the remaining tariff lines, currently categorized under the respective Members’ sensitive list schedules, expected to attain zero rate by 2012. The FTA by 2009 data covers a regional market worth around US$380 billion in total GDP and a total population of 170 million, which could potentially increase to over US$460 billion and a population of 240 million if Angola, DRC and Seychelles join, Intra-regional trade of 2007m stood at US$27.5 million representing around 14% of total SADC trades.

The decision by the Tripartite Summit of Heads of State of COMESA, EAC and SADC in October 2008 to establish a free trade area (FTA), encompassing their respective Member States, will further widen opportunities for intra-regional trade. Draft proposals on the form of this FTA Agreement have been prepared jointly by the three Secretariats and circulated to all the region’s twenty six (26) Member States. These will form the basis for negotiations leading to the establishment of the FTA.

Notwithstanding our successes, SADC countries face various social, development, economic, trade, education, health, defence, security and political challenges. Most of these challenges cannot be tackled effectively by individual members as we are all interlinked. At SADC, we provide a platform whereby we can all be more effective in our approach in combating these challenges. For example, the sustainable development that trade brings could be threatened by the existence of different product standards and tariff regimes, weak customs infrastructure and bad roads. Political instability, poor education bad health will have the same consequences. The Member States recognize that achieving regional integration in Southern Africa requires them to put their full support behind SADC to act on behalf of all Southern Africans for their common prosperity, peace and unity.

More than ten consecutive years of economic growth have created an environment where more and more Southern African companies and individuals are achieving international recognition and success. The ‘Top Export, Business and Trade Directory for Southern Africa’ meets a need for a collaborative marketing effort by all leading exporters and the governmental and non-governmental export promotion agencies.

Whether in the primary products sector, manufacturing, retail, franchising or business services, all Southern African success stories in export and trade should be showcased and celebrated , growing market share, improving international trade relations and providing inspiration for others to follow. 

Congratulations to  Global Village Africa and the African World Trade Centers for initiating African dedicated online directory for ‘Top Export, Business and Trade in Southern Africa’ They must be commended for their vision and supported in their efforts for us all to effectively expand our market share and brand awareness throughout Africa and the world.

Yours Sincerely   Dr. Tomaz A. Salomão SADC EXECUTIVE SECRETARY