adminLovemore Chikova News Editor
In the next three days, Zimbabwe will make history by hosting the 34th Sadc Summit, which will attract Heads of State and Government from almost all of the 15 member-states.
The hosting of the summit will thrust the country into the international limelight for almost a week and then for the coming year as the chair of the regional bloc.
The magnitude of this summit calls for Zimbabweans to up their game to ensure they exhibit their capabilities to the world.
It is a fact that some countries have been trying to suppress the potential which Zimbabwe has and these are always on the look-out for mistakes.
Successfully hosting this summit will no doubt put to shame such detractors who are already angling for its failure.
What is needed now is for the local organising committee to leave no stone unturned in its preparations for the summit.
Already, Zimbabwe is moving in the right direction towards the successful hosting of the important summit that will leave President Mugabe chairing the regional body for the next year.
From then on, focus will be on Zimbabwe as people scrutinise how the country manages its affairs as regional leader.
In such situations, the temptation is to try to discard the normal way of doing things in a bid to appease observers.
The Government must do all it can to show the world that it is consistent.
What is important to note with regards to the Victoria Falls summit is that everything is now in place and set for the big event, with officials putting final touches to the venue.
There are many benefits Zimbabwe derives from hosting this summit, with the major beneficiary being tourism.
Hotels and lodges in the resort town are already full and this has left some delegates battling to find alternative accommodation in nearby places like Hwange.
In fact, Zimbabwe Tourism Authority chief executive Mr Karikoga Kaseke has since indicated that most of the delegates from Zimbabwe will be accommodated in Hwange because there are no more rooms in Victoria Falls.
What is also important is that the Sadc summit comes soon after the resort town played host to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation which attracted delegates from all over the world.
This means the town is ready for the summit, considering that most of the infrastructure used for UNWTO is still intact and will be used for the event.
The Sadc Summit’s theme: “Sadc Strategy for Economic Transformation: Leveraging the Region’s Diverse Resources for Sustainable Economic and Social Development through Beneficiation and Value Addition” is also quite instructive.
It is the emphasis on beneficiation of natural resources that will help solve the case in which millions of citizens from the region are yet to get real value from their natural resources.
At least 11 Sadc Heads of State and Government have confirmed their attendance at the summit, setting the tone for a successful meeting.
President Mugabe has since expressed satisfaction with preparations made to host the regional annual event.
The inter-ministerial committees set up for the logistical work has been fantastic in ensuring that the summit is successful and that everything is set.
The summit provides an opportunity for increasing trade in the region through networking by Heads of State and Government and interaction between business people.
Online Reporter