25 Feb 2016

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Council of Ministers is scheduled to hold a series of meetings this year.

Speaking at a press conference, Dr Taufila Nyamadzabo, said the SADC council of ministers meets annually to review the implementation of its decisions and approve the SADC budget.

He said they would meet the senior treasury official on March 5 to 6. The engagement will be followed by a meeting with the ministerial task force senior officials meeting on March 7 where documents will be prepared for the standing committee of senior officials meeting billed for March 8.

Another meeting of the standing committee of senior officials is scheduled for March 9 to 11.

He said the meeting of ministers of finance and investment would be held on March 12, and that of the ministerial task force on regional integration on March 13 while that of the council of ministers was scheduled for March 14 to 15.

Dr Nyamadzabo, who is the secretary for economic and financial policy, said the council will primarily discuss and approve the 2016/2017 SADC budget.

He said the council of ministers would also review progress made on the implementation of the 2015/2016 plan and budget and decisions taken at its last meeting in August 2015 in Gaborone.

The SADC financial year runs from April to March.

He said while reviewing progress on the implementation of the plan and budget for 2015/2016, the council would deliberate on priorities and plans for 2016/2017 to foster regional integration and the development agenda.

He said the focus for 2016/2017 continues to be the implementation of priorities outlined in the revised regional indicative Strategic Development Plan  (RISDP) 2015-2020, which prioritises industrialisation and market integration as well as infrastructure development to support regional integration, peace, security and political cooperation. Ends