SADC Chairperson His Majesty King Mswati III visits SADC Headquarters

His Majesty King Mswati III of the Kingdom of Swaziland and Chairperson of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) has called for the acceleration of the process to operationalize the regional development fund which will serve as start-up capital for regional programmes and projects in the various sectors.

The SADC Chairperson was speaking when he addressed SADC Secretariat Staff during his familiarization visit to the SADC Headquarters in Gaborone Botswana on 9th May 2017.

The SADC Chairperson added that the region “has reached a juncture where, as Member States, we need to show commitment to our objectives by matching the programmes and projects with mobilization of adequate resources”.

His Majesty King Mswati III also expressed concern on the multiple challenges related to energy reliability, availability, delivery, access and affordability that the region was facing.

King Mwsati III said that during his tenure as SADC Chairperson, he was paying particular attention to the issues of energy infrastructure in the region because energy challenges have a direct impact on the region’s initiative to achieve industrial development.

“We need to ensure that there are adequate measures put in place to address the shortage of this critical factor of production”, the SADC Chairperson said.

During his familiarization visit, the Chairperson received progress from the SADC secretariat on the implementation of the SADC Agenda set by the Chairperson since his tenure in August 2016.

In her welcome remarks, the SADC Executive Secretary Her Excellency, Dr Stergomena Lawrence Tax applauded the SADC Chairperson for the high level of commitment and importance that he attached to SADC regional integration and development agenda.

Dr Tax said that since the Chairperson of SADC assumed his tenure in August 2016 SADC has registered a number of milestones.

The SADC Chairperson visited the SADC Climate Services Centre and witnessed the swearing in ceremony of the seven SADC Administrative Tribunal (SADCAT) Judges conducted by the Acting Chief Justice from the Republic of Botswana Justice Lakhvinder Singh Walia.

The Judges were appointed by SADC Council of Ministers in March 2017 following the creation SADCAT by the SADC Summit in August 2015. The mandate of SADCAT is to resolve labor disputes between the SADC staff and SADC Secretariat.

The seven Judges are: Justice Ivy Kamanga, a High Court Judge from Malawi; Justice Pedro Nhatitima, a Supreme Court Judge from Mozambique; Justice Kuto Van Niekerk a retired High Court Judge from Namibia; Justice Mbutfo Mamba, a High Court Judge from Swaziland; Justice Regina Rweyemamu, a retired High Court Judge the United Republic of Tanzania; Justice Fulgency Chisanga, a Judge of the Court of Appeal in Zambia; and Justice Francis Bere, a High Court Judge from Zimbabwe.

The SADC Climate Services Centre is housed in the Department of Meteorology of the Government of Botswana and provides operational, regional climate services for monitoring and predicting all facets of seasonal climate condition.

The Centre develops and disseminates meteorological, environmental and hydro-meteorological products which are critically important in strategic and tactical planning in multi-sectoral socioeconomic development.

The Centre’s products also contribute to improved disaster risk management in the region, and help to ensure Member States are better prepared for weather- and climate-induced disasters which constitute 90% of natural disaster.