by Chen Ming, Ren Haijun     

    PORT LOUIS, Aug. 17 (Xinhuanet) -- Southern African leaders Tuesday reaffirmed their political will and action plan towards full integration for regional development and poverty eradication at the two-day summit held in Grand Baie, Mauritius.

    As a new chairman of the 13-nation strong regional block, Mauritius Prime Minister Paul Berenger said: "Regional integrationis a stepping stone to global integration."

    Since its existence in 1980, the evolution of the Southern African Development Coordination Conference into the Southern African Development Community (SADC) has brought many developmentsin its wake.

    Boasting 13 member states, including Angola, Botswana, Malawi, South Africa, Tanzania and Zimbabwe, SADC is a vibrant and growingcommunity and stands as a strong and credible organization and a privileged interlocutor at both regional and international levels.

    Southern Africa is now undergoing fundamental changes not only political development such as democracy and elections, but also economy, infrastructure and even regional defense. All the member states are also harmonizing policies at national and regional levels for the sake of coherence with multilateral rules.     

    ROAD MAP

    To provide a road map for an integrated community with a combined population of 210 million, Southern Africa launched the Regional Integrative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) in Arusha in March this year. It is a 15-year blueprint for the regional development with a specific target of a 7 percent economic growth rate and creation of single currency in 2016.

    The RISDP is indicative in nature, merely outlining the necessary conditions that should be realized towards achieving those goals. In order to facilitate monitoring and measurement of progress, it sets targets for goals in the various fields of cooperation.

    A process of developing medium and short-term business plans as well as the medium term expenditure framework is underway both at the SADC Secretariat and in member states.     

    COMMON VALUE

    The RISDP reaffirms the commitment of SADC member states to good political, economic and corporate governance entrenched in a culture of democracy, full participation by civil society, transparency and respect for the rule of law.

    Southern African countries firmly acknowledges that economic growth and development will not be realized in conditions of political intolerance, the absence of the rule of law, corruption,civil strife and war.

    With regard to this issue, Angola continues to face serious post-war reconstruction challenges, which include the scourge of anti-personnel landmines, the resettlement of internally displaced persons and the return of refugees.

    While peace continues to prevail in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, there have been unwelcome parts of the country, that threaten to revive the cycle of violence and ruin in the peace process.

    With respect to elections in the region this year, South Africaand Malawi have already held successful elections and Botswana, Mozambique and Namibia are holding general elections later this year while Mauritius, Tanzania and Zimbabwe will hold elections next year.

    The new SADC chairman urged Zimbabwe to hold free and fair elections next year while calling Swaziland for the promulgation of a new constitution which enhance civil liberties.     

    COMMON TRADE STANCE

    Southern Africa has set a timetable to establish a free trade zone with 85-90 percent of products enjoying non-tariff among member states in 2008 and zero tariff for all products in 2012.

    As what Malawi President Bingu wa Mutharika stated on the regional trade issue at the summit meeting, southern African countries should speak one voice and take common stance on the trade issue with the multilateral trading system if they are to reform their advantage and benefit from trade opportunities arising.

    SADC has initiated work to improve the regional industrial development policy and strategies document by studying sectors corresponding to the international standard industry classification, which are also in harmony with SADC intra-regionaltrade patterns.

    Thus, SADC stands to gain by taking a coordinated approach to international trade negotiations and developing common policy responses. They will adopt appropriate strategies in on-going negotiations with the European Union (EU), the United States and at the World Trade Organization.     

    LAND REFORM

    The outgoing SADC chairman and Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa touched upon the sensitive issue of land and agrarian reformin Southern Africa: "Let SADC speak with one voice on this matter,and let the outside world understand, that land and agrarian reform in the SADC region is necessary."

    "That to us Africans," he said, "land is much more than a factor of production. We are spiritually anchored in the lands of our ancestors. We are truly sons and daughters of the soil."

    He said: "To dispossess us of land is not only to consign us to perpetual economic deprivation, it is also an affront to our spirit, to our sociological sense of being, to our very humanity and our inalienable right to dignity as a people."

    While representing hundred millions of black people, he said, "We forgive those who did this to our ancestors, but now that we are in power, we cannot run away from our historical duty to set right these historical wrongs and injustices."

    In an emotional speak, the Tanzanian president called for a coordinated approach to issues of land distribution, utilization, tenure, administration and adjudication in the region. SADC will also establish a regional land reform technical committee to support technically and financially individual member states in designing and implementing land and agrarian reforms.     

    STRATEGIC INFRASTRUCTURE

    As part of regional integration process, southern African countries plan to build 11 highways, upgrading existing railway lines while improving air traffic management.

    Three sub-corridors of Trans Kalahari, Trans Capriri and Trans Cunene have been identified. The study has been completed and its results will be implemented with funds from the EU.

    A joint EU-SADC mission will visit the countries of Angola, Namibia and Zambia to discuss the way forward and receive from the concerned government departments their respective commitments to co-finance the selected corridors.

    Other transport routes being prioritized include the Milange-Mocuba Road linking the town of Milange in Malawi to the port of Quelimane in Mozambique and the Mtwara Corridor pre-feasibility study.

    The Lobito Corridor is also on the study table of priority activities. The aim is to unlock the potential of the Copper-Cobalt belts of the DRC and Zambia to their traditional markets in Western Europe and the United States through the deep sea port of Lobito in Angola.     

    GIANT POWER PROJECT

    South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Angola and the DRC will join hands in launching a giant power project with an estimated investment of 7.3 billion US dollars before 2008.

    The project with a capacity of 35,000 mega-watts in the Congo River is also involved with 4,000-km long power transmission grid,which will transfer power from the DRC to Botswana, Namibia and South Africa upon the completion.

    Due to diminishing power generation capacity in the SADC region,some countries, South Africa in particular, are likely to meet major constraints if no investment in power generation is made by 2007.

    There is urgent need to speed up the conclusion of the Inter Governmental Memorandum of Understanding establishing the project in order to address the issue of diminishing generation capacity in the region, specially in South Africa, Botswana and Namibia.

    SADC is coordinating southern African countries about the special arrangement for the project, which will be shared equally by the five countries. These countries will establish a hydro power company which will be listed on the stock market.

    At the same time, southern African countries will also open the power market to the international investors and welcome loans and investment from the World Bank and other international financial institutions. Enditem