Staff Reporter
Preparations for the 44th SADC Heads of State and Government Summit, scheduled to be hosted by Zimbabwe in August, commenced with a meeting led by various ministries, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, along with officials from the SADC Secretariat.
The Summit is slated to run from August 17 to 18, during which President Mnangagwa will take on the Chairmanship position as Zimbabwe assumes leadership of the regional body for a year. Currently, Zimbabwe holds the position of vice-chair in the regional bloc.
Addressing SADC Secretariat officials in a virtual meeting, laying the groundwork for the upcoming summit, Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Ambassador Rofina Chikava, expressed Zimbabwe's readiness to host the summit.
"This is a very important meeting for us, the first preparatory meeting for the SADC Summit, which we are going to host. We also want to express our readiness as the Republic of Zimbabwe to work together with the SADC Secretariat to ensure the successful hosting of the 44th SADC Summit in Zimbabwe. We want to assure you of Zimbabwe's commitment to adhere to the SADC standards for the preparations and hosting of summits."
SADC Deputy Executive Secretary, Dr Judith Kateera, noted that the proposed dates for the summit would coincide with commemorations for the SADC Day.
"I wish to state that we are all now ready, preparing for the hosting of the summit on the proposed dates of August 17 to 18, 2024, she said. I am fully aware that these dates are proposed as we also seek to commemorate the SADC Day, which falls on August 17 every year. However, we are also aware that we are waiting for the Government of Zimbabwe to officially confirm the dates and venue of the summit."
Meanwhile, in his acceptance speech during the 43rd SADC Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government in Luanda, Angola, last year, President Mnangagwa reiterated Zimbabwe's commitment and readiness to work for the 16-member regional bloc once it assumes the position of Chair. Zimbabwe previously chaired SADC from August 2014 to August 2015.
