His Excellency Cyril Ramaphosa, President of the Republic of South Africa and Chairperson of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) on 3rd March, 2018 visited the SADC Secretariat in Gaborone, Botswana and called for acceleration of Regional Integration.
In his address to Management, members of staff and SADC Ambassadors accredited to Botswana and SADC, the SADC Chairperson underscored the importance of SADC and regional integration, saying Regional Integration brings together Cooperating Members for the development and well-being of citizens. His Excellency President Ramaphosa said he was delighted to visit the SADC Secretariat a few weeks after assuming the Presidency of the Republic of South Africa and the Chairpersonship of SADC. The President said, as Chairperson of SADC, he appreciates the commendable work the SADC Secretariat is doing in facilitating the implementation of decisions made by the various SADC decision-making organs such as the Council of Ministers and the Summit of Heads of State and Government.
On peace and security in the SADC Region, H.E. Ramaphosa said during his state visit to the Republic of Angola, he held discussions with His Excellency President João Lourenço, who is the Chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation. Having discussed with President Lourenço, he was pleased with the work being undertaken to address the political and security situation in the SADC Region, notably, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Kingdom of Lesotho and Madagascar.
His Excellency President Ramaphosa said, during his tenure as Chairperson of SADC, he will place emphasis and drive forward key issues such as peace and stability, and SADC Industrialisation.
In her remarks, the Executive Secretary of SADC, Her Excellency Dr Stergomena Lawrence Tax welcomed His Excellency President Ramaphosa to the SADC Secretariat and congratulated him on his election as President of the governing African National Congress (ANC) and the President of the Republic of South Africa, saying this is testimony of the confidence that the people of South Africa have in the President’s leadership. H.E. Dr. Tax said she is optimistic that, as Chairperson of SADC, President Ramaphosa will play a pivotal role in enhancing the SADC Regional Integration Agenda owing to his previous participation and experience in SADC Regional Integration issues.
The Executive Secretary assured H.E. President Ramaphosa of the Secretariat’s unwavering commitment to work with the SADC Chairperson in accelerating and deepening regional integration and development, and in particular, in operationalising the theme of the 2017 SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government: “Partnering with the Private Sector in Developing Industry and Regional Value Chains”.
Done in Gaborone
3 March, 2018
