SADC Council of Ministers meeting concludes

WINDHOEK, 15 AUG  – The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Council of Ministers meeting has recommended the advancement of various development programmes and strategies within the region, with the support for the private sector as its main priority.
The meeting was held from on Monday and Tuesday in preparation for the SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government which will take place on Friday and Saturday.
The Council of Ministers is responsible for the functioning and development of the region and ensures that policies are properly implemented.
Sharing the outcome of the SADC Council of Ministers meeting which ended on Tuesday, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah said the meeting discussed a number of issues related to priority programmes contained in the revised Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan of 2015 -2020; the Strategic Indicative Plan for the Organ and the SADC Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap for 2015 to 2063.
The Council of Ministers directed the SADC Secretariat to expedite the process of completing the assignments of reviewing existing institutional arrangements within the region and to develop effective mechanisms to monitor and ensure compliance to its protocols and other legal instruments.
It further directed the Secretariat to operationalise the SADC Regional Gas Committee and urged member states to nominate members and to develop the SADC Regional Gas Master Plan.
“Council noted progress on the implementation of VISA exemptions and commended member states that have taken the initiative to operationalise bilateral visa exemptions and to those that have not done so to expedite the negotiations and report on progress at the next meeting in August 2019,” she said.
The council further urged member states to commit to the regional priority projects aimed at enhancing energy supply security in the region and take measures to create enabling environment for energy sector reforms in order to attract investors,.
SADC member states were also encouraged to collaborate with the private sector to identify and attract investment and implement regional value chain projects.
Furthermore, the Council of Ministers meeting concluded that the Secretariat finalise and operationalise the Private Sector Engagement Mechanism in collaboration with regional and national private sector associations.
Nandi-Ndaitwah said the meetings held by the council included the SADC human resources; administration; audit; and finance committees whose deliberations informed the decisions of the Council and the SADC Standing Committee of Senior Officials.
NAMPA