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This was the gist of theremarksof the President of the Republic of Malawi and Chairperson of theSouthern African DevelopmentCommunity(SADC),Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, during the closing session of the 41st Summit of SADC Heads of State and Government, held today, at Bingu International Convention Centre, Lilongwe Malawi.
President Chakwera pointed out that theSummit has been constructive and progressive towards shared goals of regional integration and economic cooperation.It is time, he said, to rebuild and recapacitate productive resources and to fully unleash our peoples’entrepreneurial capabilities while achieving structural and industrial transformation.
He further spoke of the importance ofindustrialisation, diversification to value added manufactured products anddigitalisation amid thepandemic adding thatthe SADC Industrialization Strategy and Roadmap is key to making this a reality.
The President underlined that the region is peaceful, secure, and stable, thanks to the solidarity and vigilance while emphasising thatthe Summit's decision for the United Republic of Tanzania to host the Regional Counter Terrorism Centre under the SADC Regional Counter Terrorism Strategy and Action Plan is a step in the right direction.
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President Chakwera also expressed gratitude to the Outgoing SADC Executive Secretary, Dr. Stergomena Lawrence Tax and extendedcongratulations to Mr. Elias Mpedi Magosi of the Republic of Botswana on his appointment to the position of SADC Executive Secretary. He looks forward to working closely with the latter forthe implementation of the 2020-30 Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) and SADC Vision 2050.
Hereiterated his Government’s commitment tothe full implementation of the Summit Decisions towards the creation of a SADC that is peaceful and free, inclusive and united, productive and competitive, industrialised and prosperous, as well as strong and just.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of Mauritius.