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Herald Reporter
THE Southern African Development Community (SADC) is hunting for a new Executive Secretary who will replace Dr Stergomena Lawrence Tax when her term of office expires in August next year.
Dr Tax’s has served two four-year terms and replaced Mr Tomaz Augusto Salomão of Mozambique in 2013, after he also completed two four-year terms.
She became the first woman in the history of SADC to hold the position.
Dr Tax was elected at the 2013 SADC Summit ahead of Mr Peter Sinon from Seychelles.
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Dr Sibusiso Moyo said the virtual SADC Council of Ministers meeting last week discussed the selection process.
“We discussed issues to do with the appointment of the executive secretary and the deputy executive secretary,” said Minister Moyo.
The SADC executive secretary is responsible for strategic planning, facilitation, co-ordination and management of all SADC programmes.
The SADC Secretariat structure is designed to maximise and support the facilitation of the member states policies and programmes to best contribute to the overall objectives of SADC.
“There are criteria to be followed and there are three main issues which are rotation, geography and the points systems.
“These would be the basis upon which member states qualify to field an executive secretary,” said Minister Moyo.
“It must be somebody who is competent enough to drive the regional community forward and the regional agenda forward. It’s not so much about somebody with a PhD qualification, somebody with this and that. No.
“It must be somebody who can deliver, who can move the regional agenda forward, who can move the regional integration agenda, who can move the inter-trade within the region and who can move the development,” he said.
Online Reporter