Staff Reporter
President Mnangagwa has called on the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to strategically position itself to thrive in the emerging global economic order by leveraging research, science, technology, and innovation.
Speaking at the 7th SADC Summit Public Lecture held at the University of Zimbabwe today, President Mnangagwa emphasized the critical role that research and innovation must play in ensuring the region’s economic sustainability and competitiveness.
“The SADC Bloc has to position itself strategically to convert the realities of both domestic and global events into economic and business opportunities that lift our people into greater prosperity,” President Mnangagwa declared.
The President noted that the region is currently facing significant challenges, including climate change-induced calamities, global pandemics, and shifts in world trade patterns, which necessitate new approaches to development.
President Mnangagwa stressed that SADC must not play second fiddle in international economic relations, urging the region to leverage its combined resource endowments and human capacities to emerge as a competitive economic bloc.
“We have all it takes to succeed,” he asserted, highlighting the region’s rich resource base, resilient people, and vast opportunities for economic growth.
One of the key areas identified by President Mnangagwa as crucial for SADC’s future success is the renewable energy sector, particularly lithium and solar energy, which he described as the driving forces behind the next industrial revolution.
He called for increased research and skills development in these areas to establish a new generation of companies and industries capable of producing value-added goods and products.
Further, the President highlighted the importance of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in expanding markets and opening new routes into the global economy.
He urged SADC member states to take advantage of the trade opportunities presented by AfCFTA and to ensure that trade information is readily available to all, particularly youth and women-led industries.
President Mnangagwa reiterated the importance of collective action and strategic planning in securing a prosperous future for the region.
“No one and no member state must be left behind,” he said, calling on SADC leaders to re-organize and mobilize to drive forward the region’s modernization and industrialization agenda.
Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development, Professor Amon Murwira, also spoke at the event, underscoring the pivotal role of education in eradicating poverty.
Professor Murwira emphasized that education must be tailored to address the specific needs of society, aligning academic pursuits with the practical demands of the region’s development goals.
He called for an education system that not only imparts knowledge but also equips individuals with the skills and innovation needed to drive societal progress.
