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Her Excellency Charity Manyeruke, Ambassador of the Republic of Zimbabwe to the Republic of Rwanda and Chairperson of the Heads of Diplomatic Missions Group (HDMG) of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) has said the regional economic group is driving sustainable development despite the threats of natural disasters negatively impacting human and food security.
She made the remarks during the belated SADC Day Celebrations held at the Zimbabwean Chancery in Kigali yesterday. The SADC Day falls on 17 August every year. It is commemorated every year following the historic decision of the 14th SADC Summit in August 1994 which declared 17 August as SADC Day in honour of the good works done by the Organization to promote development and unity in the Region. The Day offers an opportunity for SADC Member States to reflect on the progress made in the implementation of the SADC Regional Integration Agenda.
“Apart from positive developments and economic growth within the region, regrettably, the Region continues to face new challenges such as the climate change-induced natural disasters which have had far-reaching negative impacts on human and food security.
“In light of the lessons learned, investments in transformative agriculture and food systems should be scaled up. Through robust climate mitigation strategies and resilience-building mechanisms, we must continually strive to be a region capable of feeding ourselves,” HE Manyeruke said.
During the memorable 44th Ordinary SADC Summit held on 17 August 2024 in Harare, Republic of Zimbabwe, His Excellency, Cde. Dr. Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, took over as Chairman of SADC for the next year to August 2025.
Consequently, the Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe in the Republic of Rwanda assumed the Chairperson of the Heads of Diplomatic Missions Group of SADC Member States (HDMG/SADC).
This Year’s Theme adopted at the recently concluded Ordinary SADC Summit, ‘’Promoting Innovation to Unlock Opportunities for Sustainable Economic Growth and Development towards an Industrialized SADC’’ brings to the fore the role of innovation in sustained economic transformation and development. There is a call on all Member States to implement regional programmes and projects in line with the Theme.
Ambassador Manyeruke said the theme is a clarion call for the respective countries to leverage the Region’s Human Capital, to spur technology and innovation that will leap-frog the modernization and industrialization of SADC, towards a higher quality of life for the citizens.
“The importance of deploying innovative strategies, across all sectors of our economies to accelerate the realization of our collective development agenda cannot be over-emphasized. Our institutions of higher learning, academia, scientists, and innovators must equally strengthen linkages to further drive the innovation, modernization, and industrialization of our region. As SADC, our development priorities are hinged on industrialization with value addition and beneficiation of our minerals as important aspects.
“One of our key priorities is to ensure that our youth, women and entrepreneurs fully embrace technology and innovation. Through purposeful collaboration in the ICT sector, we can advance our collective interests as a Region, including closing the digital divide. The SADC Vision is one of a common future, within a regional community, which ensures economic well-being, improvement of the standards of living, quality of life, freedom and social justice; peace, and security for all the peoples of Southern Africa. Our people should always be at the centre of everything we do as Member States. The requisite instruments have been put in place in that regard, namely the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) and the Strategic Indicative Plan for the Organ (SIPO),” she added.
Ms Teta Gisa was the Guest of Honour. She is the Director General of Africa in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Rwanda.
Other key dignitaries during the belated SADC Day commemoration were His Excellency Eduardo Filomeno Bárber Leiro Octávio, Ambassador of the Republic of Angola and Outgoing Chairman of the HDMG; His Excellency Major General Ramson Godwin Mwaisaka, High Commissioner of the United Republic of Tanzania; His Excellency Amade Miquidade, High Commissioner of the Republic of Mozambique; His Excellency Mandisi Bongani Mabuto Mpahlwa, High Commissioner of the Republic of South Africa; and Mr Simon Amory Makangala Tsingu, Charge d’ Affaires of the Democratic Republic of Congo.