Luanda – Harare city, in Zimbabwe, will on Saturday host the 44th Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), who will discuss burning issues such as peace and social stability.
By Francisca Augusto, ANGOP journalist
The high-level summit of the SADC leaders takes place at a time when the region is facing complex security problems, looking forward to celebrating the ceasefire in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The summit happens at a time when the region is looking for lasting solutions to the armed conflict in Cabo Delgado province, Mozambique, which, along with other problems, will have the attention of member states.
With this meeting, the organization will review its development strategy and seek solutions more in line with the reality of the continent in particular and the world in general, in order to meet the needs of the communities.
The meeting, which will be marked by the handover of the rotating presidency of Angola to Zimbabwe for a one-year term, represents an important step towards the accomplishment of the organization's goals, especially those focused on economic development.
It is therefore an “open door” for member states to review the peace and security, growth and poverty reduction strategies , which opens up good prospects for the dream of building a more peaceful and prosperous community to be achieved.
It is hoped that at the Summit, whose theme is “Promoting Innovation to Fully Exploit Opportunities for Sustainable Economic Growth and Development towards an Industrialized SADC”, SADC states take safe and consistent steps to end terrorism and consolidate the SADC Free Trade Area.
With this, it is hoped that the organization's leaders will be able to find new strategies to raise the standard of living and quality of life of the populations, supporting the disadvantaged social strata, through regional integration.
It is also expected that the summit will be a unique moment to facilitate regional integration and raise the democratic foundations of the member states, values that are central to the sustainable development of the community.
After all, the region's development and industrialization will only be possible in a context of peace and security, which is why the member states are committed to implementing the SADC Agenda, which focuses, among other things, on achieving peace, security and stability.
By assuming the rotating presidency of the SADC for the second time, Zimbabwe will, in some way, have the opportunity to give greater visibility to local potential and help pacify a region that needs everyone to be united.
Within the framework of the challenges, efforts will guide the strategic vision reflected in the SADC 2050 Agenda, the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP 2020-2030), the Regional Infrastructure Development Master Plan (RIDMP), as well as the SADC Industrialization Strategy and Roadmap 2017-2063.
It is no coincidence that the theme chosen for the Harare Summit defines the region's vision and objectives, with a focus on human and financial capital.
The Southern African Development Community has once again the opportunity to put on the top the integration agenda by assessing progress made in the Free Trade Area, through the Customs Union and towards a Common Market.
SADC was created in 1992 to encourage trade relations between its 16 member countries. Its aim is to create a common market in the medium term, following the basic model of the European Union and some aspects of Mercosur, and to promote efforts to establish peace and security in the troubled southern African region. FMA/ART/TED/AMP
