The 44th Southern African Development Community (SADC) Summit of Heads of State and Government is set to commence as regional leaders begin to arrive in the host country. As of Thursday, several prominent figures have touched down, including:
Lesotho’s Prime Minister, Rt Honourable Samuel Matekane
President Samia Suluhu Hassan of Tanzania
Malawi’s President, Dr Lazarus Chakwera
Namibia’s president, Dr Nangolo Mbumba
The leaders arrived at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport, where they expressed their anticipation and optimism for the upcoming summit. Malawi’s President, Dr Lazarus Chakwera, emphasized the summit’s potential for fostering regional unity and development. “This summit presents an opportunity to deliberate and come together with one voice for regional cohesion and growth,” Chakwera remarked, highlighting the importance of collective efforts in addressing regional challenges.
Namibia’s President, Dr Nangolo Mbumba, also underscored the significance of the gathering. “I celebrated the meeting of regional leaders for the growth and development of our member states,” he said, reinforcing the summit’s role in advancing regional integration.
The SADC Summit will be preceded by the SADC TROIKA Summit on Friday, which will see leaders from Zambia, Namibia, and Tanzania joining discussions. This preliminary meeting aims to address urgent issues and set the stage for broader deliberations at the main summit. The SADC Summit is anticipated to focus on regional cohesion, economic growth, and collaborative strategies to tackle shared challenges among member states.
In other news – Man sentenced for trafficking children across Botswana border
Arnold Nyoni, a 23-year-old Zimbabwean, has appeared before the Francistown Magistrates Court in Botswana on charges of smuggling four children from Zimbabwe to South Africa via Botswana. Nyoni was apprehended last Friday at a petrol station in Matsiloje while refueling his vehicle, just after crossing the border.
Although Nyoni possessed valid travel documents, the four children he was transporting—three boys and a girl aged between nine and fifteen—did not have the necessary paperwork. Read More
