The Summit kicks off today and ends tomorrow.
Key to the council of ministers' report will be the region's implementation process of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (Nepad) projects, the restructuring of the region, and implementation of the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP), which is a regional Nepad for Sadc.
Other Heads of State and Government of the 13-nation regional body have also arrived, including Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe, and Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa, the outgoing Sadc chairperson.
Alpha Konare, the chairperson of the African Union Commission is also expected to arrive yesterday. He will address the summit.
The summit will adopt the council of foreign affairs minister's report, which will also give a report back to Heads of State on the restructuring process of Sadc.
Heads of State are also expected to review the economic, political and social situation in the region.
"This will include taking stock of the performance of the regional economy, agriculture and food security and the prevailing situation on HIV and Aids," said Sac Deputy Executive Secretary Albert Muchanga.
The ministers have already expressed their satisfaction with the restructuring process so far, with Muchanga saying much of the tasks had been completed or were under implementation.
The process involved the amendment of the Sadc treaty and subsidiary instruments that were seen not to be addressing new challenges, new formula for members to contribute funds to the body, and the clustering of 21 sectors and the establishment of four directorates in the body's secretariat.
This means there will be synergy in dealing with different issues such as poverty, food security, agriculture, security, economy and clustering, bringing all stakeholders together.
South Africa's Trade and Industry Minister Mandisi Mpahlwa told BuaNews at the Summit that in terms of restructuring, the region had shown commitment and was on a developmental path.
This is also due, he said, to the RISDP, regional socio-economic blueprint that is meant to identify critical objectives and building blocks to achieve regional development in line with Nepad objectives.
The plan, with timeframes, aims to put in place a free trade area in the region by 2008, common market by 2010 and eventually cut import and export tariffs between member states.
Mpahlwa said for countries to reach the targets, member states had already signed a memorandum of understanding in macro-economic convergence.
The summit is also expected to consider recommendations regarding the Madagascar application for Sadc membership.
In addition, Mauritian Prime Minister Paul Berenger will today announce the Mauritian winners of the 2004 National Secondary Schools Essay Competition.
The summit will also announce the regional winner of the essay competition, with finalists from Malawi, Mauritius and South Africa. Names of winners are not yet known.
The topic for the competition was, as water is an important source for economic and social development, what should Sadc do to promote the effective utilisation of water resources in the region.
President Mkapa will also today present prizes to the Sadc Media Awards in categories of press, radio, television and photo-journalism.
The winners will be drawn from South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. – BuaNews.
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