SADC Annual Corporate Plan and budget 2016/17 approved

The SADC Council of Minis­ters at its meeting held on March 14 and 15, 2016 in Gaborone Botswana, approved the SADC Annual Corporate Plan and a US$71,987,435 budget for its implementation during the fiscal year April 2016 to March 31, 2017.

The focus for 2016-2017 remains Industrialization and market integration. Council directed the Secretariat to expedite the finalization of the Draft Costed Action Plan of the SADC Industrialization Strategy and Roadmap to facilitate its implementation.

Council also approved the proposed timelines for the finalization of indicative investment costs to implement the Revised RISDP 2015- 20 for submission to Council at its next meeting in August 2016.

On Trade, Council approved the SADC Trade Facilitation Programme which will be mainstreamed in the RISDP implementation plan to support trade integration, industrialization, and mobilization of resources.

The following priorities were also discussed:

• Drought Situation and Food Security in the SADC Region: Council approved among others, declaring of a Regional Drought Disaster and issuing a Statement of Appeal for Assistance by the Chair of SADC in consultation with Member States; and the establishment of a regional Logistics Team at the SADC Secretariat to coordinate a regional response in close collaboration with Member States. 
• Combating Poaching Of Wildlife Council approved the proposal by Ministers of Environment and Natural Resources for the Secretariat to convene a joint meeting of the Ministers of Environment and Natural Resources and Ministers of Organ on Politics, Defence and Security in September 2016, to discuss the implementation modalities for the SADC Law Enforcement and Anti-poaching Strategy; and the establishment of a SADC Wildlife Crime Prevention and Coordination Unit to be considered as part of the restructuring process of the SADC Secretariat.

The Council of Ministers was preceded by a series of Sectorial Meetings held from 5th to 13th March namely the 16th meeting of the Ministerial Task Force on Regional Economic Integration, and SADC Committee of Ministers of Finance among others.