Press Release
18 August 2014
President Zuma concludes working visit to the SADC Summit in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
President Jacob Zuma has concluded his working visit to Victoria Falls, Republic of Zimbabwe, where he led the South African delegation to the 34th Ordinary Southern African Development Community (SADC) Summit of Heads of State and Government, which took place on 17-18 August 2014.
The host of the SADC Summit, Zimbabwe, is the current Chair, having taken over from the Republic of Malawi.
The theme of the Summit was: “SADC Strategy for Economic Transformation: Leveraging the Region’s Diverse Resources for Sustainable Economic and Social Development through Beneficiation and Value Addition.”
President Zuma stated that the Summit's theme has come at an opportune time when many of the region's countries are engaged in efforts to enhance industrial development.
The President said: "South Africa advocates for a development integration approach that aims to address the main constraints to regional integration such as the lack of industrial and infrastructure development, intra-Africa trade and market integration. We therefore need to develop a regional industrial programme that promotes mutually beneficial and inclusive growth."
In this regard, SADC Heads of State and Government mandated the Ministerial Task Force on Regional Economic Integration to develop a strategy and roadmap for industrialisation in the region.
South Africa has been unanimously elected by the SADC Heads of State and Government to chair the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation. The Organ is managed on a Troika basis and is responsible for promoting peace and security in the region. The new Troika members are South Africa (Chair), Lesotho (Deputy Chair), and Namibia with Tanzania having concluded its tenure.
"We have accepted the responsibility entrusted to us by the Summit to chair the SADC Organ. Our capacity to chair the SADC Organ is in line with our foreign policy, which champions the African Agenda aimed at bringing about development, peace and security on the Continent. We cannot achieve a developed, stable region without achieving peace and security," said President Zuma.
The Summit also deliberated on socio-economic issues that affect the region, as well as the political and security situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Republic of Madagascar and the Kingdom of Lesotho.
In addition, the Summit reviewed progress made with regard to the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP), which is a comprehensive development and implementation framework guiding the region's integration agenda. SADC Heads of State and Government called for the finalisation of the Implementation Plan in order to provide guidance towards the implementation of SADC programmes.
The Republic of Botswana is expected to host the next SADC Summit in Gaborone in August 2015.
President Zuma was accompanied by Ms Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation; Ms Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, Minister of Defence and Military Veterans; Dr Rob Davies, Minister of Trade and Industry; Mr David Mahlobo, Minister of State Security; and Mr Nhlanhla Nene, Minister of Finance.
For enquiries, please contact Mr Clayson Monyela, Spokesperson for DIRCO, at 082 884 5974
ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND COOPERATION
OR Tambo Building
460 Soutpansberg Road
Rietondale
Pretoria
0084
|
