Story by Chiedza Mutyavaviri
THE Southern African Development Community (SADC) Chairperson, President Emmerson Mnangagwa has emphasised the critical role of collective action, innovation, and regional integration in tackling the continent’s most pressing challenges.
The President said African nations should learn from one another and collaborate to address common concerns.
He said this during his address at the 11th Session of the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development in Kampala, Uganda this Wednesday.
“The collective experiences of our countries are invaluable in nurturing evidence-based leadership, as we reflect, learn and co-create solutions towards a better tomorrow,” President Mnangagwa said.
Highlighting the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Treaty as the foundation for regional cooperation, President Mnangagwa reaffirmed the region’s commitment to promoting sustainable and equitable socio-economic development through regional integration.
He underscored that SADC’s primary objective remains the eradication of poverty and the promotion of long-term, inclusive growth.
“The SADC Vision 2050 places inclusive development at the heart of the region’s long-term aspirations,” he said.
President Mnangagwa described climate change as one of the greatest threats to the continent’s development.
As part of SADC’s climate adaptation and mitigation strategies, the President highlighted the region’s focus on climate-smart agriculture, including the promotion of traditional crops and the scaling up of irrigation infrastructure.
“In the case of Zimbabwe, the provision of inputs to smallholder farmers that are specific to the respective climatic regions, along with the drilling of boreholes and establishment of nutritional gardens are having positive impacts on incomes as well as food and nutrition security, at the household level,” he said.
He noted that this transformation is accelerating rural industrialisation and job creation, as well as fostering the adoption of relevant technologies backed by the region’s strong traditional knowledge systems.
President Mnangagwa stressed that this approach is an example of how SADC is harnessing innovation to ensure that rural communities are part of the continent’s broader development agenda.
