By: Hertha Ekandjo
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has scheduled the 42nd Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of Congo, on 17-18 August 2022 through a face-to-face mode.
The Opening and Closing ceremonies of the 42nd SADC Summit will be broadcast live by Radio Télévision Nationale Congolaise (RTNC) TV.
The SADC Secretariat revealed this in Gaborone, Botswana, in a press release on Monday.
According to the press release, the Summit will be held under the theme “Promoting industrialisation through agro-processing, mineral beneficiation, and regional value chains for inclusive and resilient economic growth”.
SADC explained that the theme for the 2022 Summit was to strengthen the implementation of the SADC Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) 2020-2030, which seeks to further deepen Southern Africa’s regional integration and foster development in support of the pillar for Industrial Development and Market Integration.
“During the 42nd Summit, President of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, will take over the chairpersonship of SADC from Malawian president Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, who assumed the chairpersonship of SADC on 17 August 2021 during the 41st SADC Summit held in Lilongwe, Malawi,” the release reads.
Furthermore, it noted the Summit will review of progress on Regional Integration in line with SADC’s aspirations as outlined in the RISDP 2020-2030 and Vision 2050, which envisage a peaceful, inclusive, competitive, middle-to high-income industrialised region where all citizens enjoy sustainable economic well-being, justice, and freedom.
The 42nd SADC Summit will be preceded by the following meetings and events; 9 – 11 August, Meeting of Standing Committee of Senior Officials and Finance Committee Meetings. 13 – 14 August, Meeting of SADC Council of Ministers and 16 August, SADC Organ Troika Summit.
SADC is an organisation of 16 Member States established in 1980 as the Southern African Development Coordinating Conference (SADCC) and later, in August 1992, transformed into the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
The mission of SADC is to promote sustainable and equitable economic growth and socioeconomic development through efficient, productive systems, deeper cooperation and integration, good governance and durable peace and security; so that the region emerges as a competitive and effective player in international relations and the world economy.
Member States are Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.