President Robert Mugabe flies off to Swaziland, today.
Mugabe leaves for an Extraordinary Summit of SADC Heads of State and Government that opens at Lozitha Royal Palace tomorrow.
He will join other Heads of State and Government for the special indaba on Industrialisation and Regional Integration.
The meeting is in fulfilment of the decision made by regional leaders last year to hold annual special summits for the purpose of reviewing industrialisation and integration of SADC economies.
The SADC Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap was steered by President Mugabe during his tenure as Sadc Chair (August 2014–August 2015).
Mugabe’s spokesman, George Charamba told the state media last night that the special summit was a follow-up to President Mugabe’s initiation of conversation around industrialisation and regional integration.
He said: “It was during President Mugabe’s tenure as chair of SADC that the issue of industrialisation and making sure that SADC economies value add in order to develop and create jobs was brought to the table.
“Because of that contribution, a special summit was convened in Harare at that time to address that specific issue. Because it was so successful, SADC took a decision to make it an annual event in between summits devoted to industrialisation, beneficiation and integration of regional economies.
“That is the basis of the Swaziland summit, which the President will be attending.”
Information obtained from the Foreign Affairs Ministry shows that the summit was expected to consider the implementation of the Draft Cost Action Plan for the SADC Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap.
The roadmap is anchored on three pillars – industrialisation, enhanced competitiveness and deeper regional integration.
Its strategic interventions involve refining policies, increasing public and private sector investment volumes, creating regional value chains and boosting value addition.
The Herald also understands that the summit will consider a report of the Ministerial Taskforce on Regional Economic Integration: Industrialisation and Regional Economic Integration which covers the roadmap’s action plan.
Also under consideration will be the taskforce’s proposed milestones for monitoring implementation of the strategy and the governance structure.
Progress on the Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA) and the Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) will also be reviewed.
The TFTA, which brings together Comesa, the East African Community (EAC) and CFTA are designed to promote intra-regional trade and invest- ment.
The summit is preceded by several meetings including a meeting of senior officials of the Ministerial Taskforce; the Finance Committee; the standing committee of senior officials; the Ministerial Taskforce on Regional Economic Integration; a strategic ministerial retreat; and the Council of Ministers.
The strategic outcomes of the Ministerial retreat, which include assessing the integration agenda to determine what needs to be done to create “The SADC We Want”, will also be tabled. – state media
What industrialisation? Zimbabwe is setting world records for de-industrialisation. The Biltong skin is flying to Swaziland to ogle at semi nude young girls, sleep, fart and soil his diapers.
We know our president cannot send anyone because he needs the money for himself. But may he please bring back something for Mnangagwa for Best Actor in a leading role and Mphoko for Best Actor in a supporting role.
They are always acting and they try their best especially when they welcome our president back home.
Zimbabwe’s industrial base has been shrinking and not expanding; if this regime was serious about economic growth then it should be paying attention on identifying and removing the impediments behind our continued economic decline. Why is President Mugabe wasting the
nation’s time and treasure talking about regional economic cooperation when he has not addressed the local problems.