Page 49 - sadc40en

Regional Tourism Organisation of Southern Africa
The 17 SADC Summit endorsed the Charter of the Regional Tourism Organisation of
th
Southern Africa (RETOSA) to be signed by SADC Ministers responsible for Tourism.
RETOSA is intended to address the challenges identified in a sector report on the tourism
industry that said the region is endowed with an abundance of natural assets ranging
from game parks, deserts, waterfalls, mountains, rivers and beaches, but has only one
percent of world tourist arrivals due to uncoordinated regional efforts and a lack of joint
marketing strategies.

African Economic Community and RECs
The Summit reaffirmed the critical role to be played by SADC and other Regional
Economic Communities (RECs) in realising the objectives of the African Economic
Community which met for the first time at the Harare OAU Summit in June 1997, and
the efforts by the SADC Secretariat to develop close relations with the Joint Secretariat of
the AEC and the OAU.

Laissez­Passer 39
The Laissez-Passer was launched as a travel document with the status of a diplomatic
passport, granting visa-free entry to SADC Member States for staff of the SADC
Secretariat and Commissions.

DRC and Seychelles join SADC
The Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Seychelles were accepted as
members of SADC when the 17th Summit agreed that they satisfied the criteria for the
admission of new members. This was formalised when the instruments of accession were
signed by both governments on 8 September.
1998-99
The 18 SADC Summit was held at Grand Baie, Mauritius on 13-14
th
September 1998 hosted by Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam and
chaired by President Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela of South Africa.

Tribute to H.E. Sir Quett Ketumile Joni Masire
The Summit paid glowing tribute to the former President of Botswana for
his outstanding contribution to the region and his country, and honoured him with the
Seretse Khama SADC Medal.

Review and Rationalisation of SADC Programme of Action
SADC has embarked on an exercise to reorient its role to focus on policy formulation,
coordination and harmonisation, and to involve private sector and other stakeholders in
community building. The objective is to establish a regional development strategy and
policy guidelines that can facilitate the speedy transformation of SADC into a dynamic
development community, including the rationalisation of the existing project portfolio.
Member States agreed to coordinate their economic reconstruction to give more impetus
to the emerging market in the region. Until now, regional cooperation was guided by the
SADC Programme of Action, known previously as the Lusaka Programme of Action.