The Awards will be a hybrid event allowing for both physical and virtual participation.

Mr Phakamisa George Acting Head of Trade, Investment and Innovation stated that the ECDC is honored to be part of the implementation of the programme awarding excelling firms who have been successful during the trying circumstances created by the COVID-19 pandemic. He said, “It is not individual performance but collaboration that will take us forward. Countries with a more open economy and export programme have more opportunities to absorb the necessary technologies and innovations to take them forward.”

The Southern Africa Regional Exporters Awards is a collaboration between the ECDC and the USAID Southern Africa Trade and Investment Hub (USAID TradeHub). The USAID TradeHub actively engages with nine countries in Southern Africa to increase sustainable growth, increase competitiveness, and grow trade within these countries. The countries are South Africa, Namibia, Mozambique, Malawi, Lesotho, Botswana, eSwatini, Zambia and Angola.

The Regional Exporters Awards were launched earlier this year. The first round consisting of country-level Exporter Awards completed in seven of the target countries. The second round being the forthcoming Regional Exporters Awards in East London, where the country-level award winners as well as new nominations will be participating for the regional awards.

The awards will have various categories which would include; Exporter of the Year South Africa and the United States markets, Buyer of the Year South Africa and United States markets, Capital Provider of the Year, Trade Promotion Service Provider of the Year.

The Southern Africa Regional Exporters Awards Ceremony judging panel is drawn from the private and public sectors comprising of experts with international business experience.

Issued by the Eastern Cape Development Corporation