Sadc Summit ends

Zeros in on industrial development

Ensure equal benefit to member states

Prosper Ndlovu in Victoria Falls
THE 34th Ordinary Sadc heads of state and government summit ended here yesterday with a resolve to hasten integration of beneficiation and value addition as an integral part of the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) to foster industrial transformation.
President Mugabe, who took over as Sadc chair, told delegates and the media at the close of the summit that regional industrial development and integration took centre stage during member states’ two-day deliberations.

He said the summit resolved to convene another meeting before next year’s summit in Botswana to finalise the industrial development policy to ensure equal benefit to member states.

“We had the opportunity to discuss our theme, and, in particular, on what we should do to enhance the value of our abundant resources in the region.

“We have examined how we can make beneficiation and value addition an integral part of our Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan,” said President Mugabe.

“We had an overview of the economic situation in the region, and also had a status report on the review of the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan. In that vein, we have endorsed our ministers’ recommendations to refer the matter back to the trade ministers so that they strengthen the industrialisation pillar, to establish a relationship between industrialisation and market liberalisation. Failure to do that will result in a region which has worked on market liberalisation but without requisite goods to sell.”
The new Sadc chair said the need to integrate markets was critical in the context of beneficiation and value addition but warned of skewed trade which he said could create imbalances.

“We appeal to South Africa, which is highly industrialised to lead us in this and not just to regard our countries as open markets for products from them.

“We want reciprocal trade and not just receiving from one source without the ability to sell our own products to that source. This is a subject we said we must discuss again,” said the President.

“Our ministers will discuss this before May next year. Companies coming together, producing same products, what prevents them from making a much larger production base?”

The Sadc chairman said the summit had renewed the region’s collective commitment to expend more effort in pursuit of the collective development agenda.

He urged member states to walk the talk adding, “The decisions we have taken will only be meaningful to the people if we implement them. We therefore need to improve our scorecard in that front”.

According to a communique issued after the summit, the ministerial task force on regional economic integration was tasked to develop a strategy and roadmap for industrialisation in the region.

President Mugabe said member states noted the challenges relating to the setting up of the Regional Development Fund, which he said was critical towards enabling the region to fund its programmes and reducing over-reliance on external funding.

He commended the region’s deepening democratic culture and improved peace and security evidenced by successful interventions in the Madagascar strife where a democratic government has been set and the eastern DRC where Sadc forces have helped quell rebel attacks.
President Mugabe bade farewell to outgoing Mozambican President Emilio Guebuza and Namibian Hifikepunye Pohamba whose terms of offices come to an end as they pave way for polls in October and November this year, respectively.

“We want to express our profound appreciation for the role that they played in furthering the interests of our region. We wish them well in their future endeavours,” he said.

The President wished Namibia, Botswana and Mozambique well as they prepare for their elections and pledged Sadc support during the democratic processes and hailed the secretariat for working closely with Zimbabwe to ensure successful hosting of the summit.

He said the region will continue monitoring the situation in Lesotho and applauded the committee of ministers of justice and attorneys generals for finalising the new protocol of the Sadc tribunal, which has been adopted and was signed yesterday.

The committee of ministers also proposed establishment of an ad-hoc administrative tribunal to deal with labour matters between the Sadc secretariat and its employees.