The SADC Council of Ministers meeting, which will take place at Victoria Falls on Thursday and Friday, will kick off with the handing over of the chairpersonship from Malawi to Zimbabwe.

The Council of Ministers is a policy and strategic decision making body, which approves the work programmes of SADC and oversees its functioning and development.

The Council of Ministers meeting precedes the summit which is scheduled to take place on 17 and 18 August.

President Jacob Zuma will lead the South African delegation to the summit which is expected to review of Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) and the SADC Vision 2050.

The RISDP is a comprehensive development and implementation framework guiding the regional integration agenda of SADC over a 15 year period (2005-2020).

Available: http://www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/council-ministers-meets-ahead-sadc-summit