SADC can become breadbasket, says Pohamba

THE Southern African Development Community (SADC) could take care of its own food needs if it planned properly and did not have to “perpetually hold out a begging basket”, President Hifikepunye Pohamba said yesterday.

Opening a SADC consultative conference in Windhoek with all its member states in attendance, Pohamba said through proper planning the SADC region could produce enough food to even export the surplus to other parts of the world. “We want to engage in constructive dialogue and share experiences, knowledge and expertise with a view to form partnerships to promote secure supplies of food and realise regional development goals,” said Pohamba.Over the next two days, conference delegates are expected to discuss two key plans – one on regional development and another on politics, defence and security.SADC Executive Secretary Tomaz Augusto Salomao said yesterday that the conference came at a time when the regional body had just completed the restructuring of SADC institutions and the implementation of the Regional Indicative Strategic Plan (RISDP) and the Strategic Indicative Plan of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security (SIPO).”The existence of sound instruments like the SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections, which promote democratic governance systems, demonstrate a resolute regional political will that strives to foster a political environment that creates conducive conditions for development, economic growth and an enhanced livelihood for SADC citizens,” said Salomao.The two SADC plans deal with trade, economic liberalisation and development, infrastructure support for regional integration, sustainable food security, social and human development and HIV-AIDS.Pohamba said SADC still depended on its development co-operation partners to render support for its regional efforts.He said he believed RISDP and SIPO would result in a better place for the people of the region.”Our international co-operating partners must join hands with the people of the southern African sub-continent in our pursuit of sustainable socio-economic development to end poverty, hunger and under-development,” said Pohamba.Pohamba said it was SADC’s vision to deepen regional economic integration to the level of a Common Market through the establishment of a SADC Free Trade Area by 2008 and a SADC Customs Union by 2010.Speaking on behalf of international development partners, of which 40 regional and international organisations are present at the conference, the European Commission’s Deputy Director for Development Athanassios Theodorakis said that the targets for eradicating poverty had been set and the time had come to put strategies in place to achieve them.”The international co-operation partners (ICPs) would welcome a more active dialogue between SADC and the ICPs on political issues, including in the successful implementation of the Agenda on the Strategic Indicative Plan of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security,” said Theodorakis.Theodorakis said it was the ICPs responsibility to ensure that the quality of aid to SADC was improved and that delivery was more efficient and its impact more important and sustainable.”Increased co-ordination and harmonisation, as well as a better division of labour, will lead to better complementarity of our interventions and a reduction in transactions costs.It will also reduce the burden on the SADC secretariat,” said Theodorakis.”We want to engage in constructive dialogue and share experiences, knowledge and expertise with a view to form partnerships to promote secure supplies of food and realise regional development goals,” said Pohamba.Over the next two days, conference delegates are expected to discuss two key plans – one on regional development and another on politics, defence and security.SADC Executive Secretary Tomaz Augusto Salomao said yesterday that the conference came at a time when the regional body had just completed the restructuring of SADC institutions and the implementation of the Regional Indicative Strategic Plan (RISDP) and the Strategic Indicative Plan of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security (SIPO).”The existence of sound instruments like the SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections, which promote democratic governance systems, demonstrate a resolute regional political will that strives to foster a political environment that creates conducive conditions for development, economic growth and an enhanced livelihood for SADC citizens,” said Salomao.The two SADC plans deal with trade, economic liberalisation and development, infrastructure support for regional integration, sustainable food security, social and human development and HIV-AIDS.Pohamba said SADC still depended on its development co-operation partners to render support for its regional efforts.He said he believed RISDP and SIPO would result in a better place for the people of the region.”Our international co-operating partners must join hands with the people of the southern African sub-continent in our pursuit of sustainable socio-economic development to end poverty, hunger and under-development,” said Pohamba.Pohamba said it was SADC’s vision to deepen regional economic integration to the level of a Common Market through the establishment of a SADC Free Trade Area by 2008 and a SADC Customs Union by 2010.Speaking on behalf of international development partners, of which 40 regional and international organisations are present at the conference, the European Commission’s Deputy Director for Development Athanassios Theodorakis said that the targets for eradicating poverty had been set and the time had come to put strategies in place to achieve them.”The international co-operation partners (ICPs) would welcome a more active dialogue between SADC and the ICPs on political issues, including in the successful implementation of the Agenda on the Strategic Indicative Plan of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security,” said Theodorakis.Theodorakis said it was the ICPs responsibility to ensure that the quality of aid to SADC was improved and that delivery was more efficient and its impact more important and sustainable.”Increased co-ordination and harmonisation, as well as a better division of labour, will lead to better complementarity of our interventions and a reduction in transactions costs.It will also reduce the burden on the SADC secretariat,” said Theodorakis.