SADC Ministers’ Meeting Concludes with Calls for Enhanced Regional Cooperation
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Hon. Ambassador Dr. Frederick Shava, who also serves as the Chairperson of the SADC Council of Ministers, delivered closing remarks at the end of the Council of Ministers Meeting held in Harare on 14 August 2024.
Dr. Shava praised the robust and progressive deliberations that took place over the past two days, noting the critical discussions on a range of issues vital to the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
Key topics included the organisation’s finances, the implementation of regional programmes under the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP), and the status of the SADC Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap 2015–2063.
The meeting also addressed pressing issues such as climate change, food and nutrition security, regional infrastructure development, and health concerns, including cholera. Cross-cutting issues such as gender equality, youth representation, disaster risk reduction, and the management of SADC Transfrontier Conservation Areas were also discussed.
Dr. Shava highlighted the need for member states to meet their financial obligations and reduce reliance on international partners to achieve the region’s goals.
He emphasised the importance of peace and security as prerequisites for development and called for greater investment in these areas to address both existing and emerging challenges.
He also pointed out the need for SADC to focus on implementing a few key decisions rather than attempting to address every issue, suggesting that the principles of subsidiarity and complementarity should guide the organisation’s decision-making processes.
Additionally, he stressed the importance of leveraging the region’s natural resources and human capital through innovative information and communication technologies (ICT) to improve the lives and livelihoods of SADC citizens.
As the meeting concluded, Dr. Shava reaffirmed his commitment to fulfilling his mandate in the best interests of SADC and expressed confidence that the region would continue to make progress towards peace, security, and prosperity.
“We must remain resolute and united in our pursuit of a peaceful and prosperous SADC,” Dr. Shava said in his closing remarks. “That is what the SADC citizens expect of us.”
The meeting closed with a call for continued collaboration among member states to achieve the region’s integration agenda, with hopes that the collective efforts of the ministers will bear fruit in the coming years.
