Engagements between the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and International Cooperating Partners (ICPs) ensure that development cooperation is undertaken in a coherent manner that promotes ownership, accountability, harmonisation, mutual trust and respect, and transparency in the implementation of the regional integration agenda, Mr Laurent Mbuyamba Madimba, the Chairperson of the SADC Standing Committee of Senior Officials, has said.
Speaking during a virtual SADC-ICP Dialogue Platform Meeting on 25th November 2022, Mr Madimba, who is the Director of Multilateral African Cooperation at the Ministry of Regional Integration and Francophonie in the Democratic Republic of Congo, said the ICP Dialogue remains important to the Region as it provides an opportune platform to engage with ICPs.
Mr Madimba, who co-chaired the meeting with Her Excellency, Ambassador Petra Pereyra, Head of the European Union (EU) Delegation to Botswana and SADC and Chairperson of the ICPs, said that SADC remains appreciative of the continued technical and financial support from ICPs.
He underscored that the support received over the years assists the SADC Region to record meaningful and impactful milestones towards enhancing the lives and livelihoods of its people. He reiterated that the strategic blueprint to engage continues to be guided by SADC Vision 2050 and the overarching priorities of the Regional Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) 2020-2030.
H.E Ambassador Pereyra highlighted that ICPs are committed to supporting SADC, while also recognising and observing SADC’s ownership of the regional integration agenda, as articulated in the RISDP 2020-2030. She commended SADC for the ongoing work towards ensuring peace and security.
The SADC Executive Secretary, H.E Mr Elias Magosi, said SADC holds the ICP Dialogue Platform in high esteem, as it provides a unique opportunity to engage and ensure that cooperation and partnership align with the SADC Vision 2050 and the overarching priorities of the RISDP 2020-2030.
Mr Magosi said the ICP Dialogue Platform came at a critical time when SADC is implementing Council of Ministers' decision to rationalise and reprioritise activities in the RISDP 2020-2030, to identify meaningful and high-impact regional projects. The prioritised projects will be submitted for consideration by the Council of Ministers in March 2023.
The meeting was attended by all SADC Double Troika Member States, namely Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa and Zambia; representatives of Missions of SADC Member States in Botswana; representatives of ICPs, and the SADC Secretariat.
