44th SADC Summit officially opens

By Tiyanjane Nandie Mambucha

August 17, Mana: Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Summit has officially opened in Harare, Zimbabwe.

Delivering opening remarks, Executive Secretary General for SADC, Elias Magosi from Botswana said the theme for this year’s Summit takes the member states further on a transformative journey.

“The theme provides a unique opportunity to shape the future of our region, and the steps we must take to accelerate progress on our industrialization agenda of the region,” said Magosi.

He expressed concern on low levels of inter-regional trade, saying currently is at 23 percent signifying that SADC members are dealing more with the rest of the world than amongst themselves.

In his welcoming remarks, incoming SADC Chairperson, Dr. Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, said Zimbabwe was honored to host the 44th SADC Summit, and joins all member states in celebrating the milestones SADC has achieved since its inception.

“The people of Zimbabwe and I are happy to host you, I am also grateful for the unwavering support and solidarity the region gives to Zimbabwe, this is a pan african spirit that our forefathers wanted. Together we should continue to stand and move towards a more prosperous future for our region,” Said Mnangagwa.

Speaking earlier, new President of Namibia, Nangolo Mbumba conveyed his condolences to the Republic of Malawi for the demise of the Vice President, the late Dr. Saulos Klaus Chilima.

President Nangolo Mbumba was sworn in as Namibia’s President in the month of February 2024 after the death of Hage Geingob, who died while receiving medical treatment.

During the official opening of the 44th Southern African SADC Summit, Angola’s President, Joao Manuel Goncalves Lourenco handed over the chairmanship to Dr. Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, President of the Republic of Zimbabwe.

In the year 2023 the Summit elected Joao Manuel Goncalves Lourenco, President of Angola, Chairperson of SADC, and Dr. Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, President of the Republic of Zimbabwe as incoming chairperson.