by DIRCO
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by DIRCO
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The host of the SADC Summit, Zimbabwe, is the current Chair, having taken over from the Republic of Malawi.
The theme of the Summit was: “SADC Strategy for Economic Transformation: Leveraging the Region’s Diverse Resources for Sustainable Economic and Social Development through Beneficiation and Value Addition.”
President Zuma stated that the Summit’s theme has come at an opportune time when many of the region’s countries are engaged in efforts to enhance industrial development.
The President said: “South Africa advocates for a development integration approach that aims to address the main constraints to regional integration such as the lack of industrial and infrastructure development, intra-Africa trade and market integration. We therefore need to develop a regional industrial programme that promotes mutually beneficial and inclusive growth.”
In this regard, SADC Heads of State and Government mandated the Ministerial Task Force on Regional Economic Integration to develop a strategy and roadmap for industrialisation in the region.
South Africa has been unanimously elected by the SADC Heads of State and Government to chair the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation. The Organ is managed on a Troika basis and is responsible for promoting peace and security in the region. The new Troika members are South Africa (Chair), Lesotho (Deputy Chair), and Namibia with Tanzania having concluded its tenure.
