ZIMBABWE stands ready to collaborate with all member states and cooperating partners towards implementing shared aspirations enshrined in the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISD) 2020 to 2030 blueprint, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Permanent Secretary, Ambassador Albert Chimbindi, said yesterday.
In his acceptance remarks upon the assumption of the SADC Standing Committee of Senior Officials chairmanship in Harare, Ambassador Chimbindi said while the region had registered progress across the various pillars of the regional integration agenda, a lot still needed to be done to address challenges.
He takes over from the current chairperson of Senior Officials, Ambassador Nazaré José Salvador, Director of the SADC Office in Angola.
Ambassador Chimbindi’s assumption of the chair is a precursor to President Mnangagwa’s assumption of the SADC chairmanship, which will be preceded by the Council of Ministers Meeting next week where Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Ambassador Fredrick Shava will assume chairmanship of the council.
“Zimbabwe stands ready to collaborate with all member states and our cooperating partners as we intensify our efforts towards implementing our shared aspirations enshrined in our Regional blueprint, the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISD) 2020 to 2030,” said Ambassador Chimbindi.
“The agenda makes a clarion call for us to continue improving our transport, energy and digital infrastructure, among others, as these are essential enablers of both our integration agenda and sustainable economic development and ultimately the industrialised SADC that we want.
“We should, also, continue to lend our support to our brothers and sisters in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Mozambique given that a stable, peaceful and secure SADC is key to the upliftment of the lives and livelihoods of our people. In the SADC spirit and our Mutual
Defence Pact, an injury to one, is an injury to all of us”.
Ambassador Chimbindi said it is critical for Member States to fully take advantage of the opportunities presented by instruments such as the SADC Protocol on Trade, the Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), to promote regional industrialisation and enhance competitiveness, in the process creating decent work and alleviating poverty.
He said this year’s Summit theme, “Promoting Innovation to Unlock Opportunities for Sustained Economic Growth and Development towards an Industrialised SADC”, should assist to refocus and refine the region’s collective thoughts.
“With the support of the secretariat, we should come up with practical interventions to ensure that the objectives of the theme are realised,” Ambassador Chimbindi said.
“As we all know, the food and nutrition security situation in our region is increasingly becoming more challenging due to the adverse impact of the climate change phenomenon. Repeatedly, our region has been exposed to unpredictable rainfall patterns and extreme weather conditions for which we are least responsible.
“It is in this vein that we must recommit ourselves to support regional efforts aimed at mitigating the impacts of climate change and building resilience through adopting climate-smart agricultural techniques and improving our disaster preparedness plans”.
Ambassador Chimbindi reaffirmed Zimbabwe’s commitment to working closely with the SADC Member States to ensure that regional collective endeavours remain aligned with the fundamental purposes and principles of the SADC Treaty.
Speaking at the same occasion, Ambassador Salvador, the outgoing chair, expressed gratitude to Zimbabwe for the hospitality his team was treated to.
“After one year of chairing this important structure of our organisation, the Standing Committee of Senior Officials, today (yesterday) our tenure comes to an end and it is time for me to hand over to my dear brother, Ambassador Albert Ranganai Chimbindi.
“I hand over this position with a heart full of gratitude and a mind filled with memories of the great journey we have travelled together in the past year. It has been an honour and a privilege to serve as the Chairperson of the SADC Standing Committee of Senior Officials, a role that I have held with dedication and commitment just as you all did through your active participation and contributions.”
