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Regional Multi­Dimensional Women’s Economic Empowerment Programme
The Economic Empowerment Programme approved by SADC Gender Ministers on 29
May 2019 in Windhoek, Namibia will guide the region in reviewing, amending and
developing laws to provide for equal access to wage employment, decent work and social
protection, which are fundamental to regional development and integration. This is in line
with the provisions of the Revised Protocol on Gender and Development, which aspires
to gender equality and equity.

SADC Anthem and Flag
The SADC Council of Ministers has approved the singing of the SADC anthem together
with the national anthem during SADC meetings. The Council also decided that Member
States should hoist the SADC flag with national flags during all SADC meetings and
national events in order to strengthen awareness of the SADC identity, brand, and
community-building symbols, and called on the Secretariat to explore other ways of
popularising SADC and bringing SADC to SADC citizens.

SADC Standards Harmonisation
Due to the imminent commencement of the African Continental Free Trade Area,
the SADCSTAN harmonisation procedure was reviewed to align with the African
Harmonisation Model. Eleven SADC standards were harmonised in 2017/18, 10
more were harmonised in 2018/19, bringing the total number of SADC harmonised
texts to 107.
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African Continental Free Trade Area operational
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) has
entered into force with the potential to boost intra-regional
trade in Africa and change the global economic landscape.
The integrated market became operational on 30 May 2019
after the required 22 countries had deposited instruments of
ratification with the African Union Commission, the launch
was on 7 July 2019 in Niamey, Niger, with trade to
commence on 1 January 2021. By end December 2020, 36
countries had ratified the agreement, including eight SADC
Member States – Angola, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mauritius,
Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The agreement to establish the AfCTA
was signed in Kigali, Rwanda on 21 March 2018, at an African Union Summit that said
the creation of an integrated market is a historic landmark for the continent to transform
its political independence into sustainable economic development, as envisioned by the
founding leaders.

The 39 SADC Summit was held in Dar es Salaam, United Republic of 2019-2020
th
Tanzania on 17-18 August 2019, hosted and chaired by President Dr. John
Pombe Joseph Magufuli, with the theme of A Conducive Environment
for Inclusive and Sustainable Development, Increased Intra-
Regional Trade and Job Creation.

The year 2019/20 marked the final year of implementation of the Revised Regional
Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) 2015-2020, approved by the Extra-
Ordinary Summit in April 2015 in Harare, Zimbabwe. The Revised RISDP, together with
the SADC Strategic Indicative Plan for the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security
Cooperation (SIPO II), remain the core comprehensive development frameworks that
guide the implementation of SADC’s integration agenda and realisation of the SADC
Objectives, Vision and Mission as enshrined in the SADC Treaty and Common Agenda.