The Southern African Development Community (SADC) kicked off its annual summit on Thursday, aiming to further boost economic integration and development in the region.

Heads of state and government and representatives from 14 member countries attended the opening ceremony of the two-day meeting, which was officially declared open by King Letsie III of the Kingdom of Lesotho.

"SADC is one of the most peaceful regional economic communities in our continent," said SADC executive secretary, Tomaz Salomao, " and we are frankly and surely moving forward to a more vibrant socio economic community that has the welfare of its citizens at the center of its agenda."

He congratulated the people of DRC for the peaceful manner, in which they conducted their first democratic elections since 1960, while commending the role played by SADC member states,

However Salomao said that the region's determination to succeed is not without challenges, with a large number of people living in absolute poverty, compounded by the HIV/AIDS pandemic and chronic food insecurity.

In his address also at the ceremony, Festus Mogae, Botswana president and outgoing SADC chairman, said that the region has made progress towards the attainment of the vision of building a community of free people with a shared future.

But with regard to the integration agenda, Mogae said that the past 12 months during which he had served as the chairperson of the community have not been as fruitful as hoped.

"As a regional organization, we still have a problem implementing any of our targeted development programs with our own resources," he said.

He called for "a spirit of self-reliance" in the community, saying that the implementation of development agenda cannot depend on funding from international partners, and the region should show commitment by contributing significantly more from its own resources towards programs and projects.

Taking over the helm of the bloc from Mogae as the new SADC chairman, Prime Minister of Lesotho Pakalitha Mosisili said that since the expectation of the people on the SADC community is very high, the leaders should take efforts to make sure that even those people living in villages feel like they are in the center of the SADC.

Mosisili pledged to fulfill his mission in leading the community towards its development targets just as what his predecessor has done, from which he said he could draw a lot of experience.

The leaders are expected to deliberate on the implementation of the region's economic integration agenda, including a protocol on finance and investment, which is critical for the integration process. They will also discuss pertinent regional issues such as poverty reduction, food security and HIV/AIDS.

CHALLENGES FOR SADC

Despite the remarkable economic and social progresses it has achieved, SADC is facing daunting challenges.

Festus Mogae said the region still remains the epicenter of HIV/ AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis, which together with food insecurity are amongst the major challenges ahead.

According to him, 3 million HIV/AIDS related deaths were recorded last year, with 2 million of which in the SADC region. " Food insecurity no doubt compounds the infection rate."

He called on all SADC citizens to cooperate with the governments and other caretakers to reduce the prevalence of HIV/ AIDS and eradicate food insecurity.

Food security is a matter of pride, self-esteem, security and the first line of defense, said Tomaz Salomao.

"We cannot continue to beg for food, we need to collectively advance firmly to a food-secure community," said Salomao.

Majority of SADC's over 230 million citizens live below the Poverty Datum Line, aggravated by cycles of drought, the debilitating effects of HIV/AIDS pandemic, outbreaks of malaria and other communicable diseases.

The average real GDP growth of 5 percent in 2005 indicates an overall increase in macroeconomic performance in the SADC region. However it is estimated that the region's economies must grow by 7 percent for them to reach the millennium development goals (MDGs) of halving poverty by 2015.

The slow progress in the implementation of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Debt Relief Initiative left some SADC economies increasing external debt burdens by continued borrowing to finance their poverty reduction strategies.

The Southern African Development Community aims to set up a free trade zone by 2008, a customs union by 2010 and monetary union by 2016.

However Salomao said the bloc's vision of becoming a common market and a monetary union would remain a pipe dream if finance, investment and other macroeconomic polices were not urgently harmonized.

The summit will also receive progress reports towards the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the operationalization of the SADC Tribunal as well as review the regional socioeconomic situation.

Various prominent guests including the President of the African Development Bank Donald Kaberuka, and the United Nations Under- Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Economic Commission for Africa Abdoulie Janneh also attended the opening ceremony.

SADC is a major regional body in Africa with a total population of over 230 million that accounts for almost one third of the African continent.

It currently has 14 member states, namely: Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia South Africa, Swaziland, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Source: Xinhua