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instruments for cooperation and integration were adopted. Some major milestones during
his tenure of office included the launch of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security
Cooperation, and the decision to establish the SADC Parliamentary Forum. Prior to join-
ing SADC, Dr. Mbuende was a Member of Parliament in Namibia and Deputy Minister
of Agriculture, Water and Rural Development from 1990 to 1993. Dr. Mbuende was as-
sisted by Mr Lengolo Monyake of Lesotho who served as Deputy Executive Secretary until
1998 when he was replaced by Dr. Prega Ramsamy of Mauritius.

DR PREGA RAMSAMY
Dr. Prega Ramsamy was the fourth Executive Secretary of SADC. He was appointed in
March 2001, having served as acting Executive Secretary since January 2000. He was at the
helm of the Secretariat until December 2005, during a period of significant institutional re-
structuring, when his technical and planning skills had a significant impact on the organisation.
Dr. Ramsamy facilitated the development of the first Regional Indicative Strategic Devel-
opment Plan (RISDP 2003-2015), as well as the Strategic Indicative Plan for the Organ on
Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation (SIPO). The Memorandum of Understanding
on Macroeconomic Convergence was signed in 2002 with specific requirements and indicators
agreed by Member States. Madagascar joined SADC during his term, raising the total number
of Member States to 15. Prior to joining SADC, Dr. Ramsamy was seconded by the Govern-
ment of Mauritius to head the trade division at the COMESA Secretariat in Zambia working
on trade promotion and facilitation. He joined the SADC Secretariat as Chief Economist in
1997 and was appointed Deputy Executive Secretary in September 1998. Dr. Ramsamy was 95
assisted by Ambassador Albert Mudenda Muchanga of Zambia who served as Deputy Execu-
tive Secretary from August 2001 to August 2005.

DR TOMÁS AUGUSTO SALOMÃO
Dr. Tomás Augusto Salomão served as SADC Executive Secretary from January 2006 to
December 2013. He took office at a time when SADC Member States were concerned with
SADC trade patterns consisting mainly of commodities, and the need to diversity and in-
crease intra-regional trade, and when policy instruments were required to forge convergence
of SADC economies. Major milestones during his tenure included the launch of the SADC
Free Trade Area in 2008; the Regional Infrastructure Development Master Plan adopted
in 2012, and the Regional Poverty Observatory, implemented in 2013. The second Strategic
Indicative Plan for the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation (SIPO II) was
launched in 2012 and the SADC Standby Brigade was launched. Dr. Salomão was Minister
of Planning and Finance the Government of Mozambique before his appointment as
SADC Executive Secretary. Dr. Salomão was assisted by Eng. João Caholo of Angola who
served as Deputy Executive Secretary for Regional Integration from August 2005 to August
2013 and Ms. Emilie Ayaza Mushobekwa of the Democratic Republic of Congo who served
as Deputy Executive Secretary for Corporate Affairs from 2010 to 2018.

DR STERGOMENA LAWRENCE TAX
Dr. Stergomena Lawrence Tax is the sixth Executive Secretary of SADC and the first
woman to be appointed to the position. Major milestones during her tenure include the
development and rollout of the SADC Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap 2015-
2063, and recalibration of the regional development plan, the Revised RISDP 2015-2020,
the RISDP 2020-2030, and SADC Vision 2050.
SADC adopted a Regional Counter-Terrorism Strategy in 2015; the SADC Regional
Peacekeeping Training Centre (RPTC) was officially handed over to SADC by Zimbabwe
in 2015; and the SADC Standby Force reached Full Operational Capability in 2017. The
SADC Regional Development Fund was operationalised in 2016. The Regional Food and