By A Correspondent- President Emmerson Mnangagwa arrived in Tanzania Friday afternoon for the 39nd Ordinary Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Southern African Development Community (Sadc), where he is expected to officially assume the chair of a key organ that guarantees peace in the 16-member bloc.
He was met at Julius Nyerere International Airport by Tanzania’s Minister of State in the President’s Office (Public Service and Good Governance) Mr George Mkuchika, Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to the United Republic of Tanzania Lieutenant-General Anselem Sanyatwe. Lands, Agriculture, Water Climate and Rural Settlement Minister Perrance Shiri also welcomed the President.
Zimbabwe was elected to chair the Sadc Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation – the Organ Troika – at a regional meeting in Namibia last year. President Mnangagwa will take over the mantle from Zambian President Edgar Lungu.
Foreign Affairs and International Trade spokesperson Mr Shepherd Gwenzi said in a statement yesterday the summit would be held under the theme: “A Conducive Environment for Inclusive and Sustainable Industrial Development, Increased Intra-Regional Trade and Job Creation.”
The agenda of the Summit includes receiving the report of the Sadc executive secretary, Dr Stergomena Lawrence Tax, for the period 2018 to 2019, which gives an overview of the political and economic developments in the region and the implementation of programmes of regional cooperation and integration.
It also includes an update on the regional economic integration, particularly the status of Sadc’s Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap (2016-2063) and other ongoing regional programmes. Focus will also be on political and security situation in the region, especially the Kingdom of Lesotho.
“The following legal instruments will be opened for signature at Summit following their clearance and recommendation to Summit by the Committee of Ministers of Justice and Attorney-General: (a)Agreement Amending the Protocol on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters and (b) Draft Agreement Amending Article 7 of the Protocol on Extradition,” Mr Gwenzi said.
The summit ends tomorrow.-StateMedia