Page 21 - 41st Summit Brochure

v Implementing people-centred policies on sustainable human and economic development;
v Enhancing productive capacities of Member States and the Region;
v Enhancing income-earning opportunities for the poor;
v Creating socio-economic and political conditions that favour poverty eradication;
v Addressing inequalities, marginalisation and vulnerabilities that perpetuate poverty; and
v Confronting the global imbalances and policies that hinder the situation of the majority of poor countries.

There are some perceptions of SADC as an elitist organization which does not do enough for its citizens, so what
is the relevance, value and benefits of SADC to the citizens?
SADC is all about its citizens, as demonstrated in the responses above about SADC achievements. All policies, strategies
and programmes are geared to the benefit of SADC citizens.Efforts by all stakeholders, including the SADC Secretariat,
Member States, and the media, are needed in order to correct this perception and enable citizens to see the benefits and
relevance of SADC.
SADC has put in place programmes aimed at taking the organization to the people, to enable SADC citizens and
other stakeholders to understand its objectives, achievements, and the benefits that citizens derive from being part of
SADC. Through these programmes, information is shared through a number of platforms, including the SADC website.
SADC recognizes the pivotal role of the Media in informing and educating citizens about the benefits and values of
SADC, and encourages partners in the Media, across the Region and beyond, to support SADC in its efforts to create
awareness about the benefits of belonging to a shared community of Southern Africa, and ensure that these are enjoyed
and reach the lives of all SADC citizens.
SADC citizens are called upon to familiarize and understand the objectives of their organization, its achievements,
and opportunities. This will enable the citizens to participate in and benefit from the SADC Vision 2050 that envisages
a peaceful, inclusive, competitive, middle- to-high-income, industrialized Region, where all citizens enjoy sustainable
economic wellbeing, justice and freedom.

What opportunities exist in the SADC Region and what can be done to fully exploit these opportunities? What
is the Secretariat doing to market these opportunities?

There are vast opportunities across the SADC Region. These include the following: 19
v The SADC Free Trade Area (FTA) which has created a larger market which allows investors to enjoy tariff-free
trade in an integrated market of 16 SADC Member States, with a combined GDP of US$683 billion and a
population of close to 400 million, thereby creating investment and trade opportunities as well as economic
growth. The SADC FTA is complemented by the expanded and integrated COMESA-EAC-SADC Tripartite
Free Trade Area (TFTA) that brings together 27 countries with a combined population of 700 million and
GDP of US$1.4 trillion, and the African Continental FTA (ACFTA) that covers 54 countries with a combined
population of more than 1 billion and GDP over US$3 trillion.
v The peaceful and secure environment, complemented by harmonized and predictable policies, a facilitative
business environment and supportive connectivity and trade infrastructure (hard and soft) are key ingredients
for domestic investors, and for attracting international investors who can partner with SADC investors to
invest and create jobs and wealth in the Region.
v The SADC demographic dividend, that includes the young, vibrant, highly educated and skilled population,
and the natural resources endowment, are also opportunities for development and regional integration. SADC
focuses on skills development and the promotion of science, technology and innovation as part of
interventions in the Industrialization Strategy and Roadmap 2015-2063, and exploitation of natural resources
for the benefit of SADC citizens.
v The level of financial integration has also opened up business opportunities in the financial sectors,
including in banking, sale of securities, and mobile transactions, and enables competition on an
international scale, directly benefiting the people of the Region.
v It is envisaged that by 2050, the SADC agricultural sector would have been transformed through
mechanization and other initiatives to contribute to the sustainable management of the environment and
natural resources. Commercial farming and transformation of agriculture is therefore an opportunity to be
utilized by the SADC citizens and partners.
v Mutual recognition in the education sector provides job opportunities for SADC.
Various platforms, including the SADC National Committees, National Contact Points and National Media
Committees are used to market the opportunities available in the Region. The media in its various forms, that is
traditional media such as radio, television, newspapers and magazines, as well as new media such as the internet
and social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram are also used to market the
opportunities available in the Region. SADC citizens are encouraged to take advantage of these opportunities.