SANF 22 no 29 – by Kizito Sikuka in Kinshasa, DRC
This time last year, the newest President in southern Africa, His Excellency Hakainde Hichilema was preparing for his inauguration as the seventh President of Zambia.
And on 17 August 2022, he addressed the 42nd Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Summit of Heads of State and Government here in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of Congo detailing his vision for regional integration and development in southern Africa.
“Let us continue working together as a region. The change of power in Zambia will not alter anything,” he said, adding that he will continue with the work of his predecessors in “pushing forward the regional integration agenda of SADC.”
He said SADC has always stood with Zambia and therefore Zambia will forever be with SADC, urging the region to emulate and honour the Founders of SADC who sacrificed their lives to establish a shared community in southern Africa.
The leaders of nine countries (Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe) met in Lusaka, Zambia on 1 April 1980 to establish the Southern African Development Coordination Conference (SADCC) following a series of consultations by representatives of the then Frontline States to forge closer alliance.
The SADCC was transformed into SADC at the historic 12th Summit in Windhoek, Namibia on 17 August 1992 which transformed the organisation from a coordination conference into a community.
This golden generation of selfless leaders included the founding Presidents of the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Botswana, respectively Julius Nyerere, Kenneth Kaunda and Seretse Khama, who delayed the economic development of their countries to ensure that the rest of the region achieved political independence. They formed the core leadership of the Frontline States.
Driven by the strong desire of the SADC Founders to see southern Africa achieving political emancipation and economic development, the region has made significant progress in advancing regional cooperation and integration.
One of the first notable achievements was the solidarity shown by the region as it championed the global campaign against apartheid South Africa.
The culmination of this pressure led to the independence of Namibia in 1990 and the collapse of the apartheid system leading to democratic elections in South Africa in 1994.
Thanks to the spirit of togetherness and common vision exhibited by the SADC Founders more than four decades ago, the region has made other significant advances on the peace and security front.
“We should emulate the solidarity and revolutionary spirit of our liberation icons, whose principled positions and sacrifice has enabled us benefit from the liberties we enjoy today,” President Hichilema, who is affectionately known as HH said in his maiden speech to the summit.
He said Africa has the capacity to address its own challenges as the continent is endowed with vast natural resources.
“It has been stated more frequently that Africa is facing food insecurity as a result of the war in Ukraine. But I would like to remind us all that Africa has been said to be food insecure for decades – long before any war anywhere,” he said.
“We must, therefore, look to ourselves, before anyone else, to ensure that our people have enough food. Our land, which is rich and vast, has the potential to transform our region into a front runner in addressing rising food insecurity not only on the continent but around the globe at large.”
He said the theme of the summit should guide SADC in the next year as it aims to consolidate and strengthen industrialization in the region.
The theme for the 42nd SADC Summit was “Promoting industrialization through, agro-processing, mineral beneficiation, and regional value chains for inclusive and resilient economic growth.”
At the summit, President Chakwera handed over the SADC Chair to President Felix Tshisekedi of the DRC.
For the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, Namibian President Hage Geingob assumed the chair from his South African counterpart, Cyril Ramaphosa. sardc.net
