Geingob calls for support during his tenure as SADC chairperson

WINDHOEK, 14 AUG  – President Hage Geingob called on Namibians and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) members in general to support him as he takes up the rotational chairmanship of the regional bloc.

Namibia is hosting the 38th Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government of SADC that will take place on 17 and 18 August 2018 in Windhoek.
“You have to support me during my tenure as SADC Chairperson in our bid to deepen regional economic integration,” Geingob said during an exclusive interview with Nampa at State House on Monday.

President Geingob is taking over the chairpersonship from South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa.
The Namibian leader then called on Namibians to showcase Namibia and its infrastructure, such as roads and health facilities among others during the summit.

“We are going to have a chance to host the SADC Summit and the delegates are all looking forward to learn from us on how we do things in Namibia,” he said.
He also called on business people, including small and medium enterprises to showcase their products to the region’s community during the event.
The SADC region comprises 16 countries and is home to more than 300 million people.

“Namibians, it is your chance to come and show your culture, your hospitality and smiling faces. Take the visitors also for Kapana (grilled beef), they will like it,” Geingob jokingly said.
The ordinary SADC summit usually meets once a year around August in a member state of the incoming SADC Chairperson.
For Namibia and its population, the 38th SADC Ordinary Summit hold significance as it is the second time the summit returns to the country.

“It is a great honour that we are going to chair SADC now for the second time, after President Hifikepunye Pohamba chaired it in 2010. This SADC Summit is also very important to hold here, because this country is the birthplace of SADC, so we are happy to welcome them back,” said Geingob.

During Namibia’s maiden hosting of the summit in Windhoek in 1992, leaders from the region signed the SADC Treaty and Declaration that effectively transformed the then Southern African Development Coordination Conference (SADCC) into SADC. – NAMPA