Communiqué of the 34th Summit of SADC Heads of State and Government, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, August 17-18, 2014

1. The 34th Ordinary meeting of the Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) was held in Victoria Falls, Republic of Zimbabwe on 17th and 18th August 2014.

2. The Summit took place under the theme: “SADC Strategy for Economic Transformation: Leveraging the Region’s Diverse Resources for Sustainable Economic and Social Development through Value Addition and Beneficiation.”

3. Summit elected H.E. President Robert Gabriel Mugabe of the Republic of Zimbabwe as Chairperson and H.E. Lt General Seretse Khama Ian Khama of the Republic of Botswana as Deputy Chairperson of SADC, respectively.

4. Summit also elected H.E. Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma, President of South Africa, and the Right Honourable Thomas Motsoahae Thabane, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Lesotho as Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, respectively.

5. Summit was attended by the following Heads of State and Government and or their representatives:

6. Summit was also attended by H.E. Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC) and H.E. Dr. Stergomena Lawrence Tax, SADC Executive Secretary.

7. H.E. President Robert Gabriel Mugabe, incoming Chairperson and host of the 34th Summit welcomed the SADC Heads of State and Government and other delegates to the Republic of Zimbabwe. President Mugabe paid tribute to the outgoing Chairperson of SADC, H.E. President Prof. Arthur Peter Mutharika of the Republic of Malawi for having provided leadership to the Region during his tenure.

8. The Summit was also addressed by newly elected Heads of State and Government, namely, H.E. President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika  of the Republic of Malawi and by H.E. Hery Rajaonarimapianina, First President of the IV Republic of Madagascar, who delivered their maiden speeches, in which they re-affirmed their governments’ commitment to the SADC political, regional integration and developmental agenda..

9. Summit was also addressed by H.E. Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the AUC Chairperson who expressed the AU’s commitment to work with SADC in order to strengthen the region’s peace and security initiatives, as well as in key priority areas of programmes implementation, within the framework of the AU Vision 2063.

10. Summit commended the people and governments of the four (4) SADC Member States namely, Swaziland, Madagascar, South Africa and Malawi for holding peaceful, free, fair and credible elections between the 33rd and 34th Ordinary Summits.

11. Summit congratulated their Excellencies, Hery Rajaonarimapianina, Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma and Prof. Arthur Peter Mutharika for emerging victorious in the elections held in their respective countries.

12. Summit received a Report of the Outgoing Chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, H.E. Hifikepunye Pohamba, President of the Republic of Namibia highlighting the political and security situation as follows:

(i) The Region remains generally peaceful and stable.

(ii) On the Democratic Republic of Congo: Summit endorsed the decision by the last Joint SADC-ICGLR Ministerial Meeting that the voluntary surrender and disarmament by FDLR shall be done within a six month time frame. Summit also called upon the United Nations in co-operation with the African Union, to play its role in repatriating the FDLR elements that have voluntarily surrendered and disarmed or provide them with temporary resettlement in third countries outside the Great Lakes Region.

(iii) On the Republic of Madagascar: Summit reaffirmed its commitment to support Madagascar in the context of dialogue, national reconciliation and national building processes. Summit also appealed to the international community to support Madagascar in the development process. Summit urged all stakeholders in Madagascar to adhere to and ensure full implementation of the SADC roadmap.

(iv) On the Kingdom of Lesotho: Summit encouraged the Coalition Government Leaders to continue to provide leadership in its effort to find a lasting political solution to the current impasse, and underscored SADC’s commitment to support the leaders of the Coalition Government. Summit further appealed to all political leaders and the people in general to refrain from any action that may undermine peace and stability in the country and urged political stakeholders to resolve the political challenges in accordance with the Constitution, laws of the land in line with the Democratic Principles.

13. Summit commended H.E. President Hifikepunye Pohamba for successfully steering the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation.

14. Summit underscored the need to appropriately honour Founding Leaders who played an outstanding role in the liberation of Africa, at both regional and continental levels.

15. Summit launched the SADC Hashim Mbita Project Publication outlining the history of the national liberation struggles in Southern Africa and the SADC Statistical Year Book. To this end, Summit urged Member States to honour Brigadier General Hashim Mbita as demonstrated by the Republic of Zimbabwe which conferred the highest honour for a foreign national, the Order of Munhumutapa.

16. On the Theme, Summit directed that industrialization should take centre stage in SADC’s regional integration agenda. To this end, Summit mandated the Ministerial Task Force on Regional Economic Integration to develop a strategy and roadmap for industrialization in the region.

17. Summit noted progress in the review of the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan and directed the finalization of the Implementation Plan in order to provide guidance towards the implementation of SADC programmes.

18. Summit received a report from the Committee of Ministers of Justice/Attorneys General relating to progress on negotiating a new Protocol on the SADC Tribunal, and adopted the new Protocol on the SADC Tribunal.

19. Summit received a report from the Ministerial Task Force on Regional Economic Integration, outlining among others, status in tariff phasedowns and intra-SADC trade.  Summit also received a progress report on the ongoing tripartite free trade area negotiations and directed the expeditious completion of the Tripartite FTA negotiations in order to pave way for the Continental FTA process.

20. Summit reviewed the regional food and nutrition security and noted increases in food production during the 2013-2014 growing season. However, humanitarian assistance and malnutrition still remain a challenge. To this end, Summit endorsed a Regional Food and Nutrition Security Strategy for 2015 to 2025 to ensure improved food availability, accessibility and utilisation in a more sustainable manner.

21. Summit noted progress on the status of women’s representation in politics and decision making and urged Member States to put in place effective legislation, policies and strategies necessary to sustain the achievements recorded so far.

22. Summit also noted progress in the prevention and control of HIV and AIDS, TB and Malaria, all of which have shown a declining trend. Summit also reviewed the threat posed by the Ebola Virus Disease and urged Member States to continue putting in place measures to prevent its outbreak and to effectively contain it in case of an outbreak in the SADC Region.

23. Summit signed the following Legal Instruments:

(i) Protocol on the Tribunal in the Southern African Development Community:

(ii) Protocol on Environmental Management for Sustainable Development;

(iii) Protocol on Employment and Labour; and

(iv) Declaration on Regional Infrastructure Development.

24. Summit signed a Declaration on Small Islands Development States in support of sustainable aquatic and Oceanic development of Small Island Developing States ahead of the Third Conference of Small Island Development States (SIDS) to be held in Samoa in September 2014.

25. Summit did call upon all Member States to fully support the Legitimate Claim of the Republic of Mauritius for the restoration of its sovereignty over Chagos Archipelago without which the full decolinization of Africa is not complete.

26. Summit re-appointed Ms Emilie Ayaza Mushobekwa as the Deputy Executive Secretary – Finance and Administration, and noted the appointment of Dr Thembinkosi Mhlongo as Deputy Executive Secretary – Regional Integration by Council, as mandated by Summit in Malawi in August, 2014.

27. During the Official Closing Ceremony, Summit received farewell statements from H.E. President Armando Emilio Guebuza of the Republic of Mozambique and H.E. President Hifikepunye Pohamba of the Republic of Namibia whose presidential terms of office are nearing their end.

28. In his remarks, H.E. President Guebuza commended SADC for the major achievements it has made since its existence, the solidarity and fraternal support he had received from other Heads of State and Government, and urged them to support his successor.

29. In his remarks, H.E. President Pohamba told the Summit that it had been an honour for him to have worked for the last nine years with his colleagues, the SADC Heads of States and Government, with whom they collectively made strides in addressing peace and security challenges, as well as advancing the SADC regional integration and development agenda.

30. Summit was officially closed by SADC Chairperson, H.E. President Robert Gabriel Mugabe of the Republic of Zimbabwe.

31. The Deputy Chairperson of Summit, H.E. Lt General Seretse Khama Ian Khama, President of the Republic of Botswana delivered a vote of thanks and invited the Heads of State and Government and all delegates to the next Summit to be held in Gaborone in August 2015.

32. Summit expressed its appreciation to the Government and people of Zimbabwe for hosting the Summit and for the warm hospitality extended to all the delegates.

DONE AT VICTORIA FALLS, ZIMBABWE
AUGUST 18, 2014

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