Ministers from the 16-member Southern African Development Community (SADC) converged in the Malawian capital Lilongwe on Friday for a two-day meeting to discuss issues aimed at deepening regional cooperation.
The meeting was opened by Malawi’s Foreign Minister Nancy Tembo who said the ministers would discuss, among other things, implementation of SADC’s various strategic plans, including its flagship Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap 2015-2063.
“One of the strategic issues we will engage on during this meeting, is the costed Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) 2020-2030,” said Tembo who currently chairs the SADC Council of Ministers.
She added: “We do have the Plan, and today we will consider what it will cost us as a region to implement this Plan.”
The industrialisation strategy, which is one of the implementation frameworks for the RISDP, commits member states to pursue measures aimed at developing the industrial capacity of the region.
Among other things, the strategy sets targets for the establishment of regional value chains in various areas.
The Council of Ministers meeting is also expected to consider the regional situation regarding the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the operationalisation of the recently established SADC Humanitarian Operations Centre, which is based in Mozambique.
The meeting ends on Saturday.
JN/APA