SADC Summit starts with President Robert Mugabe as new Chair

The two-days Southern African Development Community (SADC) Heads of State and Government summit in the tourist resort town of Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe has begun today, Sunday 17 August. President Robert Mugabe is expected to take over as Chair of the block of fifteen countries.

Thirteen heads of state are attending the Victoria Falls summit which is the 34th SADC ordinary summit. Zambia and Angola have sent Vice Presidents.

According to a news release that was posted on the SADC website, by SADC’s Executive Secretary, Dr. Stergomena Lawrence Tax, the summit has also invited Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission. She is expected to address the SADC summit.

The ascension of President Mugabe to the chairmanship of SADC has undoubtedly caused controversy notwithstanding the fact that this was foreseen to happen already in 2013, when Mugabe was elected SADC Deputy Chair. Those opposed to Mugabe’s Chairmanship argue that he still has serious legitimacy issues both locally and among the international community arising from the manner in which Zimbabwe conducted its last national elections

Some critics also wonder about the rationale of Zimbabwe hosting this expensive summit when the Government is grappling with serious financial difficulties and is said to be struggling to pay civil servants. Zimbabwe’s Foreign Minister, Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, says that private sector organisations have chipped-in with funding.

President Mugabe himself has not had the best of relations with many leaders in SADC, in particular the President of Botswana. Some see Mugabe’s rise to the top of SADC as an opportunity to salvage relations with other Presidents. It would appear that some African leaders within SADC have come to the conclusion that engagement rather than isolation and rehabilitation rather than retribution works best with Mugabe. It's a pragmatic middle way even if it effectively leaves the opposition political parties within Zimbabwe marooned at Sea.

According to the Zimbabwe Mail, ZANU PF chairperson, Simon Khaya Moyo has said that Mugabe will use his new role as chair to “campaign for an end to mass killings of Palestinians by Israel in Gaza".

The theme of the 34th SADC summit is, SADC Strategy for economic transformation — leveraging the region’s diverse resources for sustainable economic and social development through beneficiation and value addition. The theme aims at leading the region towards the sustainable use of its vast natural resources.

Away from the controversies, the SADC council of ministers’ meeting which preceded the Heads of state summit nevertheless has made some important recommendations and pronouncements. The ministers have commended South Africa for offering to share its technical capacity and experience on Ebola and encouraged member-states to take advantage of the offer and directed the SADC Finance sub-committee to assess modalities for establishment of a regional fund to assist member-states in emergency situations of a medical nature. The SADC ministers have also urged member-states to expedite the implementation of the SADC roadmap on Digital Broadcasting Migration and that countries should incorporate the SADC Resolution on Digital Terrestrial Television in their planning so as to ensure that the region meets its international obligations to migrate before the SADC deadline of 17 June 2015.

Meanwhile a media briefing on the agriculture, food and national security in the region, authored by Margaret Nyirenda, has lamented chronic malnutrition in the region especially among the poor and the vulnerable.

SADC in its present form stands for
 Southern African Development Community. It is inter-governmental body with headquarters in Botswana whose goal is to further the socio-economic cooperation and integration as well as political and security cooperation among the fifteen African states. It complements the role of the African Union.

Before SADC came about, there was first the Frontline States whose objective then was the political liberation of Southern Africa. Afterwards the Frontline states transformed into the Southern African Development Coordination Conference (SADCC), which was formed in Lusaka, Zambia.

As controversies go, this SADC summit in Victoria Falls may just be a dress rehearsal. Save for some unforeseen circumstances, President Mugabe is also expected to become the Africa Union Chair in January 2015.

(Paul Samasumo) engafrica@vatiradio.va