Sadc ministers meet ahead of Heads of State indaba in Malawi

Prosper Ndlovu, Business Editor
THE Southern African Development Community (Sadc) Council of Ministers meeting began in Lilongwe, Malawi yesterday with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Dr Frederick Shava leading the Zimbabwean delegation.

Ministers from the 16 Sadc member States are meeting to consider recommendations from the selection committee on the appointment of the 7th Executive Secretary of Sadc, who would replace the outgoing, Dr Stergomena Lawrence Tax, said Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson Mrs Constance Chemwayi in a brief update.

“Other items on the agenda include an update on regional economic integration, particularly the status of implementation of the Sadc Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap, the political and security situation in the region and priority interventions under the theme of the 41st Sadc Summit: ‘Bolstering Productive Capacities on the Face of Covid-19 Pandemic for Inclusive, Sustainable, Economic and Industrial Transformation’,” she said.

Coming a few days ahead of next week’s Heads of State and Government Summit on Tuesday (17 August 2021), the Sadc Council of Ministers is held under strict Covid-19 protocols and in line with the decision of the Sadc leaders that adopted a hybrid approach of limited face-to-face participation and the use of virtual platforms.

As a result, Mrs Chemwayi said most of the delegates to the meeting were participating virtually.

“The ministers’ meeting was preceded by the Standing Committee of Senior Officials meeting held between 9 to 11 August 2021,” she said.

A public lecture promoting digitalisation for the revival of the Sadc industrialisation agenda in the Covid-19 era was also conducted on the sidelines of the Summit on Thursday, 12 August 2021.