The Chairperson of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) His Excellency Dr. Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, President of the Republic of Zimbabwe undertook a working visit to the SADC Secretariat Headquarters in Gaborone, Botswana on 13th December 2024 where he called for accelerated progress on key priorities of regional integration and development.
During the visit, the SADC Chairperson was joined by President Advocate Duma Gideon Boko of the Republic of Botswana.
President Mnangagwa became the Chairperson of SADC on 17th August 2024 during the 44th SADC Summit of Heads of States and Government that was held in Harare, Zimbabwe. As is customary, Chairpersons of SADC visit the SADC Secretariat Headquarters during their tenure to appreciate the work done by the Secretariat in facilitating the SADC regional integration agenda and to provide guidance on the Secretariat’s implementation of SADC Programmes.
In his address, the SADC Chairperson expressed concern at the low levels of intra-regional trade, currently at 23% and called for increased inter-regional trade for the region to realise full integration. In this regard, the SADC Chairperson urged Member States to remove barriers to trade and take advantage of trade opportunities presented by the SADC Protocol on Trade, SADC Free Trade Area, Tripartite Free Trade Area and the SADC Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap (2015-2063).
To the SADC Secretariat, the Chairperson of SADC urged Management and staff to adjust and adapt to the ever-changing dynamics of the world and rise to the occasion at the service of the SADC Member States through research, policy analysis and evidence-based recommendations that will help to propel the regio to greater heights.
Regarding the status of implementation of the 44th SADC Summit theme, “Promoting Innovation to Unlock Opportunities for Sustainable Economic Growth and Development towards an Industrialised SADC”, H.E. Dr. Mnangagwa, commended the efforts of Member States to promote innovation, science and technology to drive the SADC regional industrialisation agenda.
On peace and security, the SADC Chairperson expressed concern with the on-going conflict in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, where due to the conflict thousands of innocent civilians including women, children and the elderly have bee brutally killed and over 6 million people internally displaced. To this end, the SADC Chairperson pledged that through the SADC Mission in the DRC (SAMIDRC), the region will not rest until there is lasting peace and security in the DRC.
Recognising that energy infrastructure is the backbone of industrial development and integration, the SADC Chairperson urged Member States said it was gratifying to note that the SAD region is actively diversifying its power generation mix by exploring alternative energy sources such as natural gas, solar, wind and bioenergy, instead of overreliance on coal, hydropower and distillate fuels.
The SADC Chairperson also called for coordinated efforts to effectively respond to and recover from climate change induced disasters that threaten to reverse the development gains the SADC region has made over the years.
The Executive Secretary of SADC, His Excellency Mr. Elias Mpedi Magosi expressed gratitude to the SADC Chairperson for the visit and the guidance provided to the Secretariat in advancing regional integration and development agenda. H.E. Magosi highlighted that the Secretariat remains committed to facilitate infrastructure development and interconnection, in support of regional integration and intra-regional trade. To facilitate enhanced intra-regional trade within the SADC region, the Executive Secretary said SADC is in the process of compiling information to produce a list of the top 10 exports and imports of SADC Member States and establish what the region trades with the rest of the world.
On the 44th SADC Summit theme, the Executive Secretary urged SADC Member States to continue to harness the power of innovation to accelerate implementation of key regional value chains and promote technological transfer to increase manufacturing of value-added products, and ultimately, realise economic growth and prosperity in the region.
During the visit, the SADC Chairperson together with the President of the Republic of Botswana received the SADC Headquarters building from Bongwe Investments Proprietary Limited on behalf of the SADC Heads of State and Government. The SADC Secretariat Headquarters Building has been governed through a Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) Agreement involving SADC, Bongwe Investments (Proprietary) Limited (Private Party) and the Government of the Republic of Botswana as a guarantor to the PPP arrangement.
The two also performed the ground-breaking ceremony for the commencement of the construction of the SADC Standby Force Regional Logistics Depot (RLD) at Rasesa village, in the Kgatleng District, 40km from Gaborone City. Once operational the Regional Logistics Depot will serve as a storage for materials, equipment and end-user stocks for use by the SADC Standby Force when undertaking mandated peace support and humanitarian missions.
