Southern Africa: Regional Integration to Move a Step Further
BuaNews (Tshwane), 14 August 2008
The integration plan for the SADC region will move a step further with the launch of the Free Trade Area this weekend.
Heads of State who will gather in Johannesburg on Friday for the South African Development Community (SADC) Summit are to launch the SADC Free Trade Area (FTA).
The launch of a free trade area is the second phase of a comprehensive regional integration plan that aims to set up the region as a customs union by 2010, a common market by 2015 and achieve monetary union by 2016.
Speaking at a media briefing ahead of the Meeting of the SADC Council of Ministers to be held on Thursday, Foreign Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, said the launch of the FTA was one of the highlights of the summit.
"As the council starts its work (on Thursday), we are really hoping that by the end of the summit, as the incoming Chairperson of the Council of Ministers of SADC, we would definitely have a clear mandate of what SADC needs to focus on in the following year," the minister said.
SADC Executive Secretary, Dr Tomaz Salomao, said there was a need to have the right infrastructure in place as the FTA is launched.
"We need to have the right infrastructure, and free movement of people and, on the other hand, free movement of goods to make our region more effective," said Mr Salomao.
The SADC Heads of State Summit is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday.
With regard to the economic situation in the region, Mr Salomao said the economy was doing well with member states managing to control their debt.
He said in terms of inflation, negative growth was a reality in Zimbabwe, and it was critical for the SADC to assist Zimbabwe in this regard.
"We believe that sooner or later Zimbabwe can go back to playing its role in terms of economics in our region...You may recall that Zimbabwe was the second economy in this region.
"We need to go back to that state," Mr Salomao said.
On the social front, he said progress has been made in the area of HIV and AIDS but the SADC could be the most affected region in the continent.
"It is therefore important to remind our Heads of State that we need to push hard to ensure that the appropriate measures were are in place to ensure an extension of the lifespan of those who are infected and we avoid infection among the youth in particular," said Mr Salomao.
On the overview political situation in the region, Mr Salomao said despite the challenges faced by the region, there was stability.
"So far, we do not have conflict or war, SADC continues to be a reference on how we move from confrontation to peace, stability and security," he said.
Mr Salomao, however, mentioned challenges in Zimbabwe, Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi and Lesotho where he said the summit will have a chance to look at, including the recent violent attacks on people of other countries in South Africa.
