Sadc summit opens with urgent call for food aid

GABORONE – A top-level summit of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) opened in Botswana yesterday with leaders appealing to the international community for emergency food assistance.

“This summit is taking place at the time when most of the region is facing a devastating drought,” said Botswana’s President Festus Mogae as he opened the meeting of hundreds of delegates in Gaborone. “As a consequence, many of our countries require emergency food assistance.We appeal to the international community to provide assistance that is commensurate with the scale of need,” said Mogae, the incoming chairman of SADC.The Botswana leader urged the 14-nation-body, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, to speedily implement development goals.”There are many challenges to which we must respond if we are to improve the human condition and create better standards of living for our people,” Mogae said.”In carrying out our mandate as the leadership of SADC, we must do so in a manner that will give hope to our people and support them to overcome adversity,” he added.The implementation of so-called Millennium Development Goals to eliminate poverty, which include creating a free trade area by 2008 and a regional central bank by 2018, will come under scrutiny at the two-day heads of state summit.”We must be prudent and diligent in the preparation of our plans and ensure that our policies are not only people centred by are also responsive to the needs of our populations, who have waited patiently for us to deliver,” Mogae said.The regional bloc will also discuss a common migration policy, the African stand-by force and gender equality in SADC.Other topics on the agenda include a common position on seats for African countries in the UN Security Council and an application from Rwanda to become a SADC member.-Nampa-AFP”As a consequence, many of our countries require emergency food assistance.We appeal to the international community to provide assistance that is commensurate with the scale of need,” said Mogae, the incoming chairman of SADC.The Botswana leader urged the 14-nation-body, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, to speedily implement development goals.”There are many challenges to which we must respond if we are to improve the human condition and create better standards of living for our people,” Mogae said.”In carrying out our mandate as the leadership of SADC, we must do so in a manner that will give hope to our people and support them to overcome adversity,” he added.The implementation of so-called Millennium Development Goals to eliminate poverty, which include creating a free trade area by 2008 and a regional central bank by 2018, will come under scrutiny at the two-day heads of state summit.”We must be prudent and diligent in the preparation of our plans and ensure that our policies are not only people centred by are also responsive to the needs of our populations, who have waited patiently for us to deliver,” Mogae said.The regional bloc will also discuss a common migration policy, the African stand-by force and gender equality in SADC.Other topics on the agenda include a common position on seats for African countries in the UN Security Council and an application from Rwanda to become a SADC member.-Nampa-AFP