15 Mar 2016

Southern African Development Community (SADC) ministers have been urged to work collectively to put measures in place to address the consequences of the El-Nino phenomenon.

Welcoming SADC council of ministers, the Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Mr Kenneth Matambo said the El-Nino phenomenon has negatively impacted on the development objectives and goals of each country and the region.

He said it calls for the speedy implementation of agreed programmes and initiatives at all levels. Mr Matambo, who is also the chairperson of the SADC council of ministers, said the meeting comes at a time when the region was facing many challenges, among them the devastating drought that has affected the entire SADC region and was threatening the livelihoods of people. He said the strong El-Nino effect the southern region was experiencing has resulted in one of the driest rainfall seasons in over 35 years in southern Africa negatively affecting agricultural production and prices of agricultural commodities.

He said the price of maize and other cereals and livestock products would increase, and that it would result in an increase of the number of people who were vulnerable to food insecurity, particularly women and children.

Mr Matambo said the council was a platform to provide an opportunity for SADC ministers to receive progress reports on the implementation of plans for the financial year 2015/16, and to review the implementation of previous decision as well as to consider the focus areas and the budget for 2016/17.

He said the convening of the SADC meeting was appropriate as it comes about a year after the adoption by the SADC heads of states and government regional industrialisation strategy and roadmap 2015-2063, which he said puts emphasis on industrial development and related infrastructure and services.

Mr Matambo said he was pleased that the ministers of trade met last year to follow up on some outstanding issues regarding the industrialisation of the region.

He said the council also looks forward to receiving updates on the development of the costed action plan for the implementation of the SADC industrialisation strategy and roadmap.

He also said they expect to receive a report on the implementation of the Revised Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan for 2015-2020.

Furthermore, Mr Matambo also emphasised the importance of the SADC meeting, saying the long history of cooperation as a region has brought economies closer together in many respects.

He said the stable political and macro-economic environment as well as cooperation in many other areas such as water, transport and tourism, make SADC a unique region. He added that it was necessary that the countries strive to preserve the profile.

The minister also highlighted that the region needs significant resources and investment for the successful implementation of programmes. He said they were confident that SADC would continue to make attempts to mobilise resources for priority projects to be implemented to ensure successful cooperation and regional integration.

Mr Matambo also called for SADC to create an enabling environment for private sector initiatives. Ends