Luanda - The 43rd Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) approved Thursday the motto of Angola's mandate for the next 12 months "Human and financial capital: the main factors of sustainable industrialisation in the region”.
According to the press release of the event that elected Angola as president of the organisation, for a one-year term, the motto chosen aims to support regional industrialisation in the context of climate change and the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
The meeting also endorsed the regional Gas master plan for 2023-2038, with investment in infrastructure to facilitate the coordinated use of SADC's natural resources.
The Statesmen noted the progress made in the operational of the SADC Humanitarian and Emergency Operations Center (SHOC).
Member States have been urged to speed up the national signing and ratification processes of the Memorandum of Understanding, to take effect by October 2023.
The Summit adopted the SADC Declaration on Accelerating Action to End AIDS as a Public Health Threat in the SADC Region by 2030.
Heads of State and Government commit to providing strong leadership and working in partnership with local and international communities to sustain the fight against HIV and AIDS.
The final communiqué reports the signing of the SADC Protocol on Employment and Work which, among other matters, defines a strategic framework for regional cooperation on employment and work-related issues, in order to enable the achievement of decent work for all.
The event expressed appreciation for the progress made and the commitment made by the Government of Lesotho to finalise the reform process.
The Summit extended the SADC Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM) for a period of 12 months with a view to achieving peace and security in the province of Cabo Delgado, in the north of that Portuguese-speaking country in the Indian Ocean.
The forum honoured Lt Gen Seretse Khama Ian Khama, the first President of the Republic of Botswana and one of the founders of SADC, for his legacy and contribution to the region.
Likewise, it renewed support for the deployment of the SADC Mission in the DRC (SAMIDRC) to restore peace and security in the east of that country.
The members praised the holding, in Luanda of the Quadripartite Summit of African economic blocs due to the need to strengthen the coordination and harmonisation of peace initiatives in the east of the DRC.
The meeting brought together the East African Communities (EAC), the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), SADC, the United Nations (UN) and the African Union Commission (AUC).
On the other hand, the SADC Summit congratulated the Angolan statesman for leading peace and reconciliation processes on the continent.
The Summit encouraged the processes of consolidation of democracy through elections scheduled for this year in Zimbabwe, the Kingdom of Eswatini, Madagascar and the DRC, as well as in South Africa and Botswana, in 2024.
The meeting also addressed the degree of implementation of the SADC Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan 2020-2030, namely, the socio-economic situation in the region.
It also assessed regional economic performance, infrastructure development, industrialisation, the regional food and nutrition security situation, gender and development, the health situation and disaster risk management in the region.
In addition to the election of Statesman João Lourenço as President of SADC, the forum elected the Zimbabwean counterpart, Emmerson Mnangagwa, as the next leader of the community.
The Head of State of Zambia, Hakainde Hichilema, was elected President of the Body for Cooperation in the Areas of Politics, Defence and Security, and his counterpart, Samia Suluhu Hassan, from Tanzania, as the next head of the body.
Support was expressed for Member States' candidacies for relevant posts in continental and international organisations.
The meeting also approved the nomination of Judith Kateera, from Zimbabwe, as the new SADC Deputy Executive Secretary for Institutional Affairs, replacing Joseph Nourrice, from Seychelles, who ends his term in October.
The Summit was attended by King Eswatini Mswati III, Presidents of Angola João Lourenço, Botswana Mokgweetsi Masisi, DRC Félix Tshisekedi, Malawi Lazarus Chakwera, Mozambique Filipe Nyusi and Namibia Hage Geingob.
Also present were the Heads of State of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa, Zambia Hakainde Hichilema, and Zimbabwe Emmerson Mnangagwa, and the Prime Minister of the Lesotho Samuel Matekane.
The Vice-Presidents of Seychelles Ahmed Afif and Tanzania Phillip Mpango, as well as the minister of Industrial Development, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and Cooperatives of Mauritius Soomilduth Bholah and the former Prime Minister and Advisor to the President of Comoros for diplomatic matters Hamada Madi represented their States at the Summit. JFS/SC/ADR/NIC
