President Cyril Ramaphosa participated in the 41st Ordinary Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) held on the 17 – 18 August 2021, in Lilongwe, Malawi.
The Summit’s theme was “Bolstering Productive Capacities in the Face of COVID-19 Pandemic for Inclusive, Sustainable, Economic and Industrial Transformation” a theme befitting the continent’s great strides to recover from the effects of the pandemic. The theme also takes forward the implementation of the SADC Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap 2015-2063, with a special focus on improving regional productive capacities.
As outgoing Chair of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, Botswana presented a progress report on the status of regional peace and security which was then handed over to President Cyril Ramaphosa, as the incoming Chairperson of the Organ.
According to the Heads of State at the Summit, the creation and establishment of the SADC Central Bank and Monetary Union is critical and should be a long-term objective that is based on fulfilling preconditions that include, the harmonisation of the fiscal and monetary policies of SADC countries, and greater convergence of banking systems.
The next gathering Heads of State and Government will take place in the Democratic Republic of Congo in August 2022.