The Senior Officials in the Ministries responsible for Transport and Meteorology from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Member States are meeting on 25 – 26 September 2018, in Windhoek, Namibia.
The SADC Secretariat Deputy Executive Secretary for Regional Integration (DES-RI) Dr. Thembinkosi Mhlongo is leading the SADC Secretariat Team at the meeting which will review and prepare documents for the joint meeting of Ministers responsible for ICT, Information, Transport and Meteorology scheduled for 27 September 2018.
The meeting was officially opened by the Deputy Minister in the Ministry of Works and Transport in the Republic of Namibia, Hon. Sankwasa James Sankwasa, who reminded the Senior Officials from the Transport and Meteorology sectors of their critical role in ensuring that the objectives of the SADC Protocol on Transport, Communications and Meteorology are achieved.
The SADC Protocol on Transport was adopted in August 1996 to oversee all aspects of transport, communications, and meteorology throughout the SADC region to facilitate establishment of harmonized regulations and systems aimed at achieving effective and efficiently productivity in the sector, thereby promoting economic and social development.
Through the Protocol, Member States agree to strategic goals and policies for an integrated network of transport, communications, and meteorology, with specific funding sources, regulatory mechanisms, environmental controls, and technical standards.
The Protocol also outlines an institutional framework for its implementation, including a breakdown of committees and subcommittees, procedures, and duties, as well as systems for monitoring progress and addressing non-compliance with regulations.
The SADC Senior Officials provides a technical advisory role and review documents in preparation for the Sectoral Ministers' meetings. The Ministers will meet on the 27 September 2018 to receive progress made on decisions that made by the Ministers at their meeting in 2017 in Malawi, and provide guidance to the implementation of transport and meteorology issues in support of regional infrastructure development and regional integration.
