Sadc ministers review region’s industrialisation progress

Source: Sadc ministers review region’s industrialisation progress | The Herald

Mukudzei Chingwere  Herald Reporter 

SADC Foreign ministers have met in Lilongwe, Malawi ahead of the scheduled engagement of heads of state this week where they measured progress on the region’s industrialisation journey as enunciated in the 2014 strategy.

At their meeting in 2014, the bloc agreed in Victoria Falls under the chairmanship of Zimbabwe that industrialisation was one of the key drivers of economic development and the project was expected to run from 2015 to 2063. 

To this end, Zimbabwe has already taken the initiative with President Mnangagwa spelling out a robust strategy through Vision 2030 by which year Zimbabwe should be an upper middle income country.

Zimbabwe’s strategy also feeds into the region’s broader goal which should see the region being fully industrialised by 2063, Zimbabwe having an earlier target.

“Another key issue that I should highlight was the consideration of the progress report on the implementation of the Sadc Industrialisation Strategy and roadmap 2015-2063,” said Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Ambassador Frederick Shava after the meeting.

“You may recall that the August 2014 Sadc summit held in Victoria Falls under Zimbabwe’s chairmanship adopted the Industrialisation Strategy to drive Sadc’s regional integration and development agenda. 

“Since then, all Sadc summit themes and priority programmes and projects derived therefrom speak to the implementation of the Industrialisation Strategy,” said Amb Shava from Malawi.

“Under this broad strategy the region has adopted regional indicative strategic development plan 2020 – 2030 which will address socio-economic and trade issues and the strategic indicative plan of the organ which focuses on peace and security as an important pillar for development.

“At the continental level where the African Union is implementing its agenda 2063 and recently adopted the African Continental Free Trade Area, the Sadc industrialisation strategy is a building block towards the achievement of the continental objectives.”

Ambassador Shava said member states also provided updates on the respective responses to the Covid-19 pandemic in their countries.

He said there were informed that a South African laboratory had been approved to partner BioNTech in the production of Pfizer vaccines for Covid-19 distribution in Africa.

Minister Shava said the council of Ministers considered 15 agenda items which culminated in the adoption of 75 decisions.

They will be presented to their principals which are scheduled to meet from tomorrow up to Wednesday.

 President Mnangagwa will attend the meeting.