President Lazarus Chakwera who is also the chairman for Southern African Development Community (SADC) has left the country through Kamuzu International Airport for Botswana on a working visit.
President Chakwera travels to Botswana in his capacity as chairperson for the 16 member regional grouping of SADC and is expected to pay a visit at the organization’s Secretariat offices in Gaborone.
In his interview with media at the Airport before takeoff, President Chakwera said; “After our successful Summit in August, it’s important for me to acclimatize myself with the going zone at the Secretariat, and so as is required I will be there to just appreciate the fact that His Excellency Magosi and all the staff are serving SADC faithfully.”
President Chakwera is also expected to have talks with the Botswana President, Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi, and is expected back home on Wednesday.
SADC was stablished in 1992 with commitment to Regional Integration and poverty eradication within Southern Africa through economic development and ensuring peace and security.
The organization has Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, newly joined Comoros, Botswana, and Malawi as its Member States.
Located in Gaborone, the SADC Secretariat is the Principal Executive Institution of the organization, responsible for strategic planning, facilitation and co-ordination, and management of all SADC programmes.
In a statement SADC Secretariat announced that Chakwera, President Chakwera will visit Secretariat on 12th December 2021, for a working visit
and will be received by the Minister of International Affairs and Cooperation Hon. Dr Lemogang Kwape on behalf of His Excellency Dr Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi, the President of the Republic of Botswana.
According to SADC Secretariat, on Tuesday, 14th December 2021, President
Chakwera will pay a courtesy call on His Excellency President Masisi.
President Chakwera became the Chairperson of SADC on 17th August 2021 during the 41st SADC Summit of Heads of States and Government that was held in Lilongwe, Malawi.
As is customary, Chairpersons of SADC visit the SADC Secretariat Headquarters
during their tenure to appreciate the work done by the Secretariat in facilitating the SADC regional integration agenda and to provide guidance on the Secretariat’s implementation of SADC Programmes
The SADC Chairperson will be appraised on the status of implementation of SADC
Programmes, decisions, and the 41st SADC Summit theme, Bolstering Productive Capacities in the Face of COVID 19 Pandemic for Inclusive, Sustainable Economic and Industrial Transformations.
Chakwera will also interact with the SADC
Secretariat staff to provide guidance, and sign SADC legal instruments.
The SADC Chairperson oversees the highest level of the governance structure of SADC and among others, has the overall mandate of providing policy direction, and controlling the functions of SADC.