25 July 2017: The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Secretariat, briefed the SADC Committee of Ambassadors and High Commissioners accredited to Botswana and the SADC Secretariat on the preparations for the 37th Summit of Heads of State and Government.
The Committee noted the agenda to be presented and progress made in the implementation of previous Council and Summit decisions, including an Overview of the Political and Economic Developments in the Region; Status on the implementation of the Regional Indicative Strategic Plan (RISDP); Status on the implementation of the Industrialization Strategy and Roadmap; and Follow up on the outcomes of the Ministerial Retreat – “The SADC We Want”. The 37th Summit of Heads of State and Government and its preceding meetings will be held from 9th to 20th August, 2017 in Pretoria, Republic of South Africa.
During the briefing the Executive Secretary of SADC, Her Excellency Dr Stergomena Tax said preparations for the Summit are on course and will, per tradition, be preceded by three key meetings, namely; the Senior Officials’ meeting, the Council of Ministers meeting, and the Organ Troika meeting. “As a Secretariat, we look forward to the meetings being of a resounding success and that they will significantly contribute to the goal of achieving the SADC Common Agenda of Regional Integration and Poverty Reduction,” said Dr Tax.
In her remarks, Chairperson of the SADC Committee of Ambassadors and High Commissioners, Her Excellency, Ms. Dumisile Sukati, High Commissioner Designate of the Kingdom of Swaziland, commended the SADC Secretariat for organizing the briefing meeting, and for the progress made in the preparation for the upcoming Council and Summit.
The SADC Committee of Ambassadors and High Commissioners was established by Council of Ministers on the 25th February 2005 to, among other things, enhance interactions and consultations between Member States and the Secretariat, and to share information on matters related to the implementation of the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) and the Strategic Plan for the Organ (SIPO), and to follow up on SADC Decisions.
