Free Trade Area dominates SADC Summit agenda

Addressing delegates during the summit at the Sandton Convention Centre, State President Thabo Mbeki said the launch of the FTA marked another important milestone towards the deeper integration of the SADC region.

“As we all know that during this summit we will be launching the SADC Free Trade Area, the appropriate way to celebrate this achievement is to commit ourselves in ensuring its success.

“Through this important step, the citizens of this region would further move towards the attainment of a life free of hunger, unemployment, free of diseases and underdevelopment,” the President said.

The summit, which was attended by SADC Heads of State, Ministers and Deputy Ministers, among others, aims to discuss issues such as the Regional Poverty Reduction Framework, of which an implementation plan has been developed that emanates from the SADC International Conference on Poverty and Development.

SADC Executive Secretary Tomaz Salomao said although launching of FTA was one of the regions' significant achievements, there was still a need to consolidate FTA's potential to benefit in regional integration agenda.

“I have no doubt that the FTA has the potential to yield more gain in poverty alleviation, but there's a great need for member states to address these challenges urgently for sustainable economic growth in the region,” said Salomao.

Mbeki said without SADC the member states will never achieve regional development and true integration.

“Without SADC, our countries would never realise their true economic and developmental potential.

“It is therefore important that at all times we become conscious of the fact that whatever we do, or don't do, we would either swim or sink together,” the President said.

Mbeki further said it was important for the summit to take forward all matters raised both in the documents as well as introductory statements of SADC so as to emerge with a clear programme of action around the challenges facing the region.

The President said he hoped that the summit would be a success and address the most important challenges facing the region.

“I trust that this 28th Ordinary Summit will, as in the past, concentrate our minds on the primary task facing this region which is to confront poverty and underdevelopment.”

The summit will also reflect on the food security situation in the region as it is among the critical challenges facing not only the region but the entire world.

It will also consider the draft protocol on gender and development and the draft protocol on science, technology and innovation among others.

Article published courtesy of BuaNews