‘SADC progress in promoting peace’
THE Southern African Development Community (SADC) says political stability, peace and security remain a key enabler for deepening regional economic integration.
With South Africa chairing the region, 2018 is set to be a tense year and a busy one for President Cyril Ramaphosa as Zimbabwe, Mali and the Democratic Republic of Congo head to the polls in what are expected to be hotly-contested elections.
Yesterday, SADC executive secretary Dr Stergomena Lawrence Tax told ministers from the 16 members states gathering in Pretoria for a ministerial council meeting that SADC had so far been successful in introducing structures aimed at promoting peace and security in the region.
“During the period under review, focus was placed on the facilitation and consolidation of mediation, conflict prevention and preventive diplomacy initiatives,” said Lawrence Tax.
She said the SADC Standby Force deployed in November last year and a multidimensional contingent was able to restore political and security stability in Lesotho.
Minister for International Relations and Co-operation Minister Lindiwe Sisulu reminded her counterparts of the role former president Nelson Mandela played when the country joined SADC 20 years ago.
She said Mandela’s vision was that the region should have the “highest possible degree of economic integration, consistent with socio-economic and political reality”.
“Our objectives in the SADC are informed by the common agenda which seeks to advance peace, stability and sustainable development in the region,” Sisulu said.
She said that although the political and security situation in member-countries remained stable, there were still challenges that needed to be addressed.
In August, former president Jacob Zuma chaired a meeting in which heads of government at the 37th SADC Ordinary Summit vowed to ensure the rule of law and human rights are upheld as stipulated in the 1992 SADC treaty.
Since that summit, Zimbabwe has had a new president in Emmerson Mnangagwa following the resignation of Robert Mugabe.
South Africa followed suit with Zuma stepping down.
In Mauritius, Ameenah Gurib-Fakim was also compelled to step down this past weekend over graft corruption.
Sisulu and Lawrence Tax indicated they were confident that the region would forge ahead with enforcing stringent political stability programmes.
Sisulu said industrialisation in the region was important in ensuring prosperity as well as developing sustainable communities. “It has to be achieved through strong partnership with the private sector… all SADC members should focus on the need to strengthen the region’s capabilities both inside and outside of government,” she said.
Lawrence Tax said the region had made significant strides in fulfilling some of the goals set out in its 2017/2018 plan.
These, she said, include a feasibility study on regional manufacturing of medicines and health commodities.
She warned that the agriculture sector and food security in the region was under immense threat due to drought, adverse climate conditions as well as the emergence and outbreak of army worm in countries such as Namibia, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The council of ministers meeting concludes today.