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Groundwater Management Institute
SADC established a Groundwater Management Institute to be operational by early
2010 in response to the challenges of managing underground water in the sub-region,
to “ensure the equitable and sustainable use and protection of groundwater.” GMI is
hosted by the University of Free State in South Africa. At least 70 percent
of the SADC population of about 250 million people rely on
groundwater for drinking and other uses.
Strategies and Guidelines to address Power Shortages
SADC Ministers responsible for Energy have taken action to address power
shortages in the region through measures that address the structural,
operational and institutional challenges hindering development in the
sector. The strategies approved when the energy ministers met in Angola
in April 2010 include Guidelines for Regulating Cross Border Power
Trading in Southern Africa and a framework for cost-reflective tariffs in
the region.
Proposal for a Regional Parliament
The 27 Plenary Assembly of the SADC Parliamentary Forum held in Livingstone,
th
Zambia on 27 May - 5 June 2010 called for a Regional Parliament to strengthen regional
integration and community building, discuss pertinent socio-economic issues from a
regional perspective, and strengthen monitoring of regional policy implementation.
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2.2.3 Major Milestones 2010-2020
2010-2011 The 30 SADC Summit was held in Windhoek, Namibia on 16-17 August
th
2010, hosted and chaired by President Hifikepunye Lucas Pohamba, and
attended by several former Heads of State to commemorate the 30th
anniversary of SADC.
Regional Poverty Observatory
The 30th Summit established the Regional Poverty Observatory to facilitate the
implementation of the SADC Declaration on Poverty Eradication and Sustainable
Development, in which Member States committed to fully implement their strategies aimed
at poverty eradication in pursuance of their commitment to SADC’s long-term
development frameworks for deepening regional integration, that is RISDP and SIPO.
Customs Union
The Summit reaffirmed
commitment to establish a
SADC Customs Union and
endorsed the Task Force
decision to appoint a high
level expert group to reach
a common understanding
on parameters, benchmarks,
timelines, a model customs
union and its implementation
modalities, and submit a
report by December 2011.