South Africa to assume Chairmanship SADC

Pretoria – South African President Thabo Mbeki will assume the chair of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) when South Africa hosts the Ordinary SADC Heads of State and Government Summit at the Sandton Convention Centre, Gauteng on Saturday - Sunday 16 – 17 August 2008.

The Ordinary SADC Summit is held with a view to strengthening and consolidating sustainable regional political and economic integration and development.

The Summit will be preceded by a SADC Council of Ministers meeting scheduled for Thursday – Friday 14 – 15 August 2008 to which Foreign Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma will lead the South African delegation.

Among others, the Summit will focus on political developments within the region, regional economic integration, challenges around food security, and the financing and construction of the new SADC Headquarters.

As part of SADC efforts to deepen long-term regional economic integration, the SADC Heads of State and Government Summit will on Sunday 17 August launch the Free Trade Area (FTA) of the Community.  The SADC FTA will be launched under the theme “SADC Free Trade Area for Growth, Development and Wealth Creation”.  The launch of a Free Trade Area will formalize the elimination of trade tariffs among SADC member states, enhance regional economic integration and the creation of bigger regional markets.

Issued by Department of Foreign Affairs
Private Bag X152
Pretoria
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10 August 2008