The SADC Executive Secretary, Her Excellency Dr Stergomena Lawrence Tax and the Deputy Executive Secretary-Regional Integration, Dr Thembinkosi Mhlongo were on 20 August, 2017 sworn in to serve for the second terms.
The swearing in ceremony took place during the closing of the 37th SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government.
Dr Tax expressed appreciation for the trust and opportunity bestowed upon her and Dr Mhlongo to serve the Region at the Secretariat since 2013, and for extending their tenure for a second term.
“As we aspire to achieve higher ground through you, we pledge continued dedication and professionalism so that the community for which we serve and owe our duty, contributes to the prosperity of our region, improvement of the living standards of our people and increased socio-economic growth and development through a robust and meaningful Regional Integration and Development Community,” said Dr Tax in her remarks to the Heads of State and Government.
The SADC Executive Secretary, Dr Stergomena Lawrence Tax, a national of the United Republic of Tanzania, is the 6th Executive Secretary and 1st female Executive Secretary of the SADC, appointed by the SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government during its 33rd meeting in Lilongwe, Malawi.
Dr Thembinkosi Mhlongo, a national of the Republic of South Africa, was appointed as SADC Deputy Executive Secretary for Regional Integration (DES-RI) at the extraordinary meeting of the SADC Council of Ministers held in Malawi in October 2013.
