VALUABLE EXCHANGE BETWEEN SIPPO SOUTH AFRICA AND ITS PARTNER BSOS & STAKEHOLDERS DURING THE ANNUAL COUNTRY COORDINATION COMMITTEE (CCC) MEETING

It was a pleasure for SIPPO to welcome and meet with its BSO partners and stakeholders at the Swiss Residence this year. The meeting provided a platform for discussions and the endorsement of the planned export promotion activities and interventions for 2024, in collaboration with SIPPO. It also gave the opportunity to the BSO partners to network amongst themselves and with the other stakeholders who were present. This included two of the Swiss cooperation projects, funded by SECO, the UNIDO implemented Global Quality and Standards Programme (GQSP-SA), and the ABS Compliant Biotrade in South(ern) Africa (ABioSA) Project.

During the exchanges between the BSOs and other stakeholders, the encouraging closer collaboration between the different BSOs on joint projects, was emphasised. These exchanges also showed that the different BSOs have very similar challenges, such as areas on the topic of Sustainability, particularly with regards to being better equipped to inform their companies on sustainability requirements to be able to enter the Swiss and European markets and on understanding the EU Green Deal and other regulations.

The participants could leave the meeting with a good base of planning for activities with SIPPO’s support for interventions to be undertaken in 2024.

As a side event to the CCC meeting, a virtual panel discussion facilitated by a SIPPO sector expert highlighted the services and support provided by the BSOs to their exhibiting companies for participation at the Anuga International Food Trade Fair in Germany, in October. In addition, this also showcased the improved export promotion service offerings of the BSOs, as observed by their exporter companies, and as a result of SIPPO’s support and interventions over the past years.  The panel members consisted of four women-exporters from different provinces in South Africa, who exhibited at Anuga. They gave their feedback and appreciation of the services received from the respective BSOs (the dtic, TIKZN and Wesgro) and the way that they were prepared for participation at the fair. This included on-site support from the BSO officials with SIPPO’s oversight and coaching.