THIRTY ninth Southern African Development Community (SADC) Summit ended yesterday, with the signing of three development cooperation programmes with the European Union (EU).

The 47 million Euros deals for the period of five years are under the 11th European Development Fund (EDF).

The programmes, which will be implemented by the SADC Secretariat are Support to Improving the Investment and Business Environment (SIBE), Trade Facilitation Programme (TFP) and Support to Industrialisation and Productive Sectors (SIPS).

SADC Executive Secretary Dr Stergomena Tax signed the agreements on behalf of the community while EU was represented by its ambassador to Botswana and SADC Jan Sadek.

According to Dr Tax, SIBE programme aims at achieving sustainable and inclusive growth and support job creation through transformation of the region into investment zone, promoting intraregional investments and Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs), with the focus on small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

Trade Facilitation Progamme (TFP) will contribute to enhancing inclusive economic development in the SADC region through deepening regional economic integration.

She said the SIPS programme aims at contributing to SADC industrialisation agenda, improving performance and growth of selected regional value chains and related services within the agroprocessing and pharmaceutical sectors.

“The signing of the three programmes reflects an enduring partnership between SADC and EU towards enhancing SADC regional integration and social economic development, particularly at the time when SADC has committed to place industrialisation at the centre of regional integration,” Dr Tax said.

According to Dr Tax, the programmes are interconnected and interdependent and collectively contribute to the 39th SADC theme: “A Conducive Environment for Inclusive and Sustainable Industrial Development, Intra– Regional Trade and Job Creation,” by placing emphasis on the development of regional value chain, facilitation of intra- regional trade and the creation of a conducive environment and for sustainable investment and business.

On his part, Mr Sadek said EU believes that trade facilitation, promotion of a competitive and diversified industrial development, investment promotion and an improved business environment are the foundation for inclusive and sustainable development.

According to SADC, the three EU -SADC development cooperation programmes reflect the EU strategy towards Africa as expressed in EU -Africa Alliance for sustainable development and jobs.

The SADC–EU regional cooperation dates back to 1980s. Since the 2000s, the overall EU contribution to SADC regional integration has exceeded 415 million Euros, covering inter alia peace and security, infrastructure, trade, business environment and agriculture.

Meanwhile, the summit adopted four protocols, including agreement that amend two protocols on extradition and transfer of sentenced offenders.

The amendment of the Protocol of Extradition seeks to align the legal instrument with the best international practice that requires that authentication of documents pertaining to extradition issues be done in accordance with the domestic laws of the requested states.

The Protocol on Inter-State Transfer of Sentence Offenders seeks to allow convicts to serve their sentences in their home countries.

Another protocol adopted by the summit yesterday is on industry, seeking to promote development to enable the SADC region to achieve industrial development.

The Protocol on Assistance of Criminal Matters was also signed.

Source: Daily News

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