Harare, Zimbabwe – Zimbabwe officially assumed the chairmanship of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Standing Committee of Senior Officials on Wednesday, marking a significant step towards the country’s leadership of the regional bloc.
The handover, which took place in Harare, paves the way for Zimbabwe to assume the full SADC chairpersonship at the upcoming 44th Summit of Heads of State and Government on August 17.
Zimbabwe’s Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Ambassador Albert Ranganai Chimbindi, pledged the country’s commitment to deepening regional integration and implementing the SADC Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) 2020-2030.
Chimbindi emphasized the need to boost intra-regional trade and investment through initiatives like the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to create jobs and reduce poverty. He also highlighted the importance of youth empowerment and the operationalization of the Regional Development Fund.
Outgoing chair, Angola’s Ambassador Dr. Nazaré José Salvador, commended the committee’s work in addressing the region’s challenges, particularly the humanitarian crisis triggered by the El Niño-induced droughts and floods.
The SADC Standing Committee of Senior Officials serves as a technical advisory body to the Council of Ministers, comprising top officials from member states’ foreign affairs, economic planning, or finance ministries.
The handover comes ahead of the SADC Council of Ministers meeting on August 13-14.
