Online Reporter
The Herald, 11 July 1983
PRESIDENT Samora Machel of Mozambique will today open in Maputo the biggest summit of the Southern African Development Co-ordinating Conference since the organisation’s foundation in Lusaka in 1980.
Eight of the nine heads of state or government of the member countries are attending the summit, President Hastings Kamuzu Banda of Malawi being the only one not attending.
They are presidents Jose Eduardo dos Santos of Angola, Quett Masire of Botswana, Julius Nyerere of Tanzania, Samora Machel of Mozambique and Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia and prime ministers Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, Leabua Jonathan of Lesotho and Bhekimpi Dlamini of Swaziland.
The SADCC Council of Ministers ended their deliberations last night, continuing their talks during a reception hosted by Mozambique’s finance minister.
The meeting considered reports due for submission to the summit, for which they also completed the agenda.
It was confirmed that the regional drought would be an agenda item.
The ministers noted the growing interest in the SADCC concept, with satisfactory levels of investments on the part of donor countries and agencies.
Moreover, new links had been established. Certain Western states not previously connected with some SADCC member states such as Mozambique and Angola, now were involved in projects including these countries.
One example of this is the US$16 million Mozambique-Malawi rail link with which Canada, France and Portugal are concerned.
Portugal too has forged new relationships, with countries that previously had no history of Portuguese commercial or financial involvement.
SADCC was born out of a proposal presented in 1979 by the late President of Botswana, Seretse Khama. Cde Sam Nujoma, Swapo leader, is also attending.
Lessons for today:
From this summit, we learn several enduring lessons that remain relevant today. The importance of regional cooperation and unity among Southern African countries to address common challenges and promote development. This cooperation led to significant projects and initiatives that benefited multiple countries.
The inclusion of the regional drought as an agenda item highlights the need for collective action to tackle shared problems. This approach ensures that resources and efforts are pooled together for more effective solutions.
Projects like the Mozambique-Malawi rail link demonstrate the critical role of infrastructure development in enhancing connectivity and economic growth. Such projects can facilitate trade, improve access to markets, and boost regional integration.
The foundation of SADCC in 1980 and its evolution reflect the historical context of post-independence Southern Africa, where countries sought to collaborate for mutual benefit and reduce dependence on former colonial powers.
