SADC wants economic integration and infrastructure development

Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe, who takes over as Chairman of the SADC for the next year has called on member countries to improve infrastructure, economic integration and beneficiation of minerals. Image: Help Zimbabwe

SADC Heads of State are meeting for their two-day summit in the resort town of Victoria Falls as slow economic growth and high rates of employments continue to torment people in the region.

The beneficiation of minerals coming out of SADC took centre stage with incoming SADC chairman and Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe saying the goal for SADC is to drive short and long term economic growth and could be realised if the region could beneficiate its minerals.

"Our region has abundant resources, which resources, instead of being sold in raw form, at very low prices, must instead be exploited and beneficiated in order to add value and cost to those products which we eventually export," Mugabe claimed.

"This process should assist us in our efforts to industrialise and in turn, increase employment opportunities for our people."

Zimbabwe is taking over the chairmanship of SADC for the next year. The Summit in Victoria Falls is emphasising economic growth and food production in a year that the African Union has dedicated to food security.

Beneficiation key to wealth-building

In his first speech as the chairman of the regional body, Mugabe urged the 15-member states to move away from exporting raw materials to Europe, Asia and America.

Having adopted its blueprint for infrastructure development in a summit in Maputo in August 2012, SADC's goal is to target the development of high priority infrastructure projects such as rail and marine.

Also speaking at the summit, African Union Commission Chairman Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma said Africa was the next growth path and a continent with endless possibilities.

"Indeed we are able to navigate our social and economic challenges. We are defining our own agenda and Africa will be seen as the place to invest and do business," Dlamini-Zuma said.

She also weighed in on the issue of beneficiation of the continent's minerals, saying the only time Africa can realise its potential is when it scaled down its exporting of raw materials.

"Exporting raw material resources means exporting the high level jobs we should be creating. Africa is endowed with oil, gas, platinum, gold, diamonds, you name it, but with all that endowment most of African countries lack economic progress and are well behind by development standards," said Dlamini-Zuma.