Antananarivo: The Angolan foreign minister has arrived in Antananarivo to participate in the 45th Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit. Delegations from other SADC member countries are also expected at this high-level meeting, taking place at the Ivato Conference Center. The summit, held under the theme "Promoting Industrialization, Agricultural Transformation and Energy Transition for a Resilient SADC," coincides with the 20th anniversary of Madagascar's accession to the regional bloc, which it joined in August 2005.
According to Angola Press News Agency, the meeting's theme, emphasizing the importance of human and financial capital in driving industrialization, was first adopted during the 43rd Luanda Summit under the Angolan presidency. The 45th Ordinary SADC Summit will assess the implementation of regional programs and analyze progress made under the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) 2020-2030. This plan guides SADC's development priorities, including industrialization, peace, security, and regional integration.
The summit will also focus on approving regional policies and strategies, as well as deciding on new policies to strengthen economic integration, food security, regional trade, and energy resilience. Additionally, the event aims to bolster industrialization and economic transformation while addressing regional security and stability.
The President of the National Assembly, Carolina Cerqueira, is present in the Malagasy capital to participate in the transformation of the SADC Parliamentary Forum (PF-SADC) into a Regional Parliament. This transformation is expected to occur during the 45th Ordinary Summit, with fourteen member states having already signed the Agreement amending the SADC Treaty to establish the SADC Parliament. Madagascar and Mauritius are expected to do so during this Summit, advancing the goal of transforming the Parliamentary Forum into a regional legislative institution.
SADC, with its Secretariat based in Gaborone, comprises 16 member states: Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The organization's mission is to promote sustainable and equitable economic growth and socioeconomic development through efficient production systems, deeper cooperation and integration, good governance, and lasting peace and security, aiming to position the region as a competitive and effective actor in international relations and the global economy.
