WELCOME STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA HIS EXCELLENCY MR LEVY P MWANAWASA, SC, ON THE OCCASION OF THE 27TH ORDINARY SUMMIT OF SADC HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT - MULUNGUSHI INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTRE, 16 AUGUST 2007

ON BEHALF OF THE PEOPLE OF ZAMBIA, THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA AND INDEED ON MY OWN BEHALF, I WISH TO WARMLY WELCOME YOU ALL TO LUSAKA FOR THE 27TH ORDINARY SUMMIT OF THE SOUTHERN AFRICA DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY (SADC).

EVEN AS I WELCOME YOU, I AM AWARE THAT FOR MANY OF YOU, LUSAKA IS YOUR SECOND HOME; ARISING FROM THE MANY YEARS YOU STAYED HERE DURING THE LIBERATION STRUGGLES. CLEARLY THEN, I SHALL NOT REQUEST THE DELEGATES OF THAT GENERATION TO FEEL AT HOME BECAUSE ZAMBIA IS ALREADY YOUR HOME.

FOR US IN ZAMBIA, IT IS A VERY MEMORABLE AND PROUD MOMENT THAT WE ARE HOSTING THIS SUMMIT, THE FIRST TIME SINCE APRIL 1980 WHEN ZAMBIA LAST HOSTED THE SUMMIT OF THE PREDECESSOR INSTITUTION TO SADC, THE SOUTHERN AFRICA COORDINATING CONFERENCE, SADCC.

IT WILL BE RECALLED THAT THE OLDER SADCC EMERGED OUT OF THE ACTIVITIES OF THE FRONT LINE STATES WHICH COMPRISED ANGOLA, BOTSWANA, MOZAMBIQUE, TANZANIA AND ZAMBIA, AN ORGANISATION WHOSE MAIN GOAL THEN WAS TO COORDINATE THE LIBERATION OF SOUTHERN AFRICA.

MOST OF THE OF SOUTHERN AFRICA COUNTRIES ULTIMATELY ACHIEVED POLITICAL INDEPENDENCE, BUT AGAINST A BACKGROUND OF MASS POVERTY, AND ECONOMIC BACKWARDNESS. THUS, THE LEADERS SAW THE PROMOTION OF ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT THROUGH CO-OPERATION AND INTEGRATION AS THE NEXT LOGICAL STEP AFTER POLITICAL INDEPENDENCE.
THE 1980 SUMMIT ADOPTED THE LUSAKA DECLARATION ENTITLED "SOUTHERN AFRICA: TOWARD ECONOMIC LIBERATION" AS WELL AS A PROGRAM OF ACTION COVERING AREAS OF TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATIONS, FOOD AND AGRICULTURE, INDUSTRY, MANPOWER DEVELOPMENT AND ENERGY.

IN THIS SENSE THEREFORE, SADC'S GENESIS WAS HERE IN LUSAKA AND, CLEARLY, WE CAN'T AVOID BEING EXCITED AT THE FACT THAT THE SADC SPIRIT HAS RETURNED TO ITS BIRTHPLACE.

THE AIMS OF THE SADCC WERE TO REDUCE ECONOMIC DEPENDENCE PARTICULARLY, BUT NOT ONLY, ON APARTHEID SOUTH AFRICA; TO FORGE LINKS TO CREATE GENUINE AND EQUITABLE REGIONAL INTEGRATION; TO MOBILIZE RESOURCES FOR IMPLEMENTING NATIONAL AND INTERSTATE POLICIES; AND TO TAKE CONCERTED ACTION TO SECURE INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE STRATEGY OF ECONOMIC LIBERATION.

THE REST ABOUT SADC IS HISTORY WITH ONE OF THE MAJOR MILESTONES SINCE THEN BEING THE ESTABLISHMENT AT THE WINDHOEK SUMMIT IN 1992 OF SADC AS WE KNOW IT TODAY.

AS THE SADC SUMMIT RECONVENES IN LUSAKA THIS WEEK, IT IS DIFFICULT FOR ME TO AVOID LOOKING BACK AT THE PAST 27 YEARS TO TAKE SOME STOCK OF WHAT HAS HAPPENED SINCE THE. THIS, I BELIEVE, WILL ASSIST US IN REFLECTING ON THE USEFULNESS OF OUR REGIONAL ORGANISATION TO THE ORDINARY FOLK.

ONE OF THE MAJOR AIMS OF THE FRONT LINE STATES, THE TOTAL LIBERATION OF AFRICA HAS BEEN ACHIEVED WITHIN THE PAST 27 YEARS WITH SOUTH AFRICA BEING THE LAST COUNTRY TO BE LIBERATED IN 1994.

FOR THIS, WE OWE A LOT TO OUR PREDECESSORS AND FOUNDING FATHERS WHO DISPLAYED GREAT COURAGE AND DETERMINATION IN FIGHTING THE STRONG FORCES OF COLONIALISM AND RACISM. SOME OF THESE GREAT LEADERS HAVE DEPARTED FROM US SUCH AS THE LATE MWALIMU JULIUS NYERERE OF TANZANIA. BUT OTHERS, SUCH AS DR. KENNETH KAUNDA OF ZAMBIA ARE STILL HERE WITH US. ON YOUR BEHALF, I WISH TO THANK THESE OLD FOLKS FOR AN EXCELLENT JOB DONE.

SECONDLY, THE SADC REGION IS TODAY ENJOYING RELATIVELY MORE PEACE AND STABILITY COMPARED TO THE SITUATION IN 1980.

IN ADDITION TO THE LIBERATION RELATED CONFLICTS THEN, A NUMBER OF OUR COUNTRIES WERE INVOLVED IN CIVIL STRIFE. THANKFULLY, WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE SADC FAMILY, ALL THESE CONFLICTS ARE BEHIND US NOW. ZAMBIA, WHICH HOSTED MANY OF THE DISPLACED PEOPLE FROM THESE CONFLICTS, IS NOW CLOSING THE FORMER REFUGEE CAMPUS AND TURNING THE INFRASTRUCTURE THERE INTO SCHOOLS AND OTHER SOCIAL AMENITIES FOR THE LOCAL PEOPLE WHO HOSTED THEIR BROTHERS AND SISTERS.

TO ALL THOSE IN THE REGION WHO WERE IN CONFLICT AND HAVE CHOSEN TO THROW AWAY THEIR GUNS AND TURN TO PEACE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THIRDLY, THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THE FEELING OF BELONGINGNESS TO SADC AMONGST US ALL HAS OVER THE YEARS BEEN ENHANCED. AS WE SHALL HEAR IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS, THERE ARE MANY THINGS THAT WE ARE DOING TOGETHER IN THE REGION UNDER THE FRAMEWORK OF OUR SADC FAMILY. THE LIST FOR THESE ACTIVITIES IS LONG.

JUST TO MENTION A FEW EXAMPLES, WE HAVE AND WE CONTINUE TO EASE CROSS BORDER TRAVEL FOR OUR PEOPLE. OF WHAT USE IS IT TO THE COMMON PERSON IN THE REGION, FOR EXAMPLE, TO BE TOLD BY LEADERS THAT WE BELONG TOGETHER BUT THEN WE MAINTAIN BARRIERS THAT MAKE IT DIFFICULT THEM TO INTERACT AT PERSON TO PERSON LEVEL?

AS ANOTHER EXAMPLE, EARLIER THIS YEAR WHEN I OPENED AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE FOR THE SEED INDUSTRY IN LIVINGSTONE, OUR COUNTRIES UNDERSCORED THEIR COMMITMENT TO HARMONISE RULES AND REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE SEED INDUSTRY SO THAT COLLECTIVELY WE CAN WORK TOWARDS SELF SUFFICIENCY. FURTHER, OUR CENTRAL BANKS HAVE OVER THE YEARS WORKED VERY CLOSELY TO HARMONISE BANKING PRACTICES IN THE REGION.

THESE EXAMPLES OF COOPERATION ARE MANY AND I CANNOT EXHAUST THEM HERE.

FOURTHLY AND LASTLY, OUR REGION IS BY AND LARGE UNDERGOING POSITIVE ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION NOT SEEN FOR MANY YEARS. AS THE SECRETARY GENERAL REPORTED A FEW DAYS AGO, MOST OF THE COUNTRIES REPRESENTED HERE ARE ENJOYING STRONG ECONOMIC GROWTH, EXCEEDING 5 PERCENT PER ANNUM IN MANY CASES. THE FUTURE OF THE REGION GENERALLY LOOKS BRIGHT WITH SIGNIFICANT FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT COMING TO THE REGION.

OUR CHALLENGE IS TO MAINTAIN THESE GROWTH RATES AND ATTRACT EVEN MORE INVESTMENTS BECAUSE THIS IS THE ONLY SUSTAINABLE WAY IN WHICH WE CAN REDUCE THE POVERTY AMONG OUR PEOPLE.

 YOUR MAJESTY
 YOUR EXCELLENCIES, HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT
 DISTINGUISHED GUESTS
 LADIES AND GENTLEMEN

I AM HAPPY TO CONFIRM TO YOU THAT ZAMBIA IS INDEED ONE OF THE COUNTRIES THAT ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THIS STRONG ECONOMIC RECOVERY IN THE REGION.

IN THE PAST SIX YEARS OUR ECONOMIC GROWTH RATE HAS AVERAGED 5 PERCENT PER ANNUM.

THE INFLATION RATES, WHICH FOR A LONG TIME WAS ONE OF THE WORST IN THE REGION, HAS NOW FIRMLY COME UNDER CONTROL BELOW SINGLE DIGIT LEVELS AND OUR EXPORTS HAVE GROWN MORE THAN THREE FOLD SINCE THE YEAR 2000.

ZAMBIA EXPECTS EVEN STRONGER GROWTH IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS. MINING, WHICH HAD BEEN ON THE DECLINE SINCE THE 1980S, IS RECOVERING VERY STRONGLY AND THE COUNTRY IS SET TO EXCEED THE HIGHS THAT IT ATTAINED IN THE EARLY 1970S.

IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, WE EXPECT COPPER OUTPUT TO HIT A MILLION TONS PER YEAR, HIGHER THAN THE MAXIMUM OF 750,000 WHICH WAS LAST ATTAINED IN THE MID 1970S.
ALTHOUGH MINING WILL BE ONE THE MAJOR ANCHORS FOR THIS GROWTH, OTHER SECTORS LIKE MANUFACTURING, CONSTRUCTION AND SERVICES ARE ALSO RESPONDING VERY WELL AND THEIR EXPORTS GROW BY LEAPS AND BOUNDS.

THIS GOOD ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE HAS BEEN POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF THE GOOD POLICIES THAT WE HAVE PUT IN PLACE BY CREATING A STABLE AND FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT FOR INVESTMENT.

THE MACROECONOMIC BASE IS SOLID AND WE ARE CUTTING BACK ON UNNECESSARY REGULATIONS AND RED TAPE THAT INHIBIT INVESTMENT.

IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS, THE ATTRACTIVENESS OF ZAMBIA AS AN INVESTMENT DESTINATION WILL BE FURTHER ENHANCED WHEN THE SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONES THAT WE ARE CONSTRUCTING, ONE IN LUSAKA AND ONE ON THE COPPERBELT BECOME OPERATIONAL. EXCELLENT WORLD CLASS INFRASTRUCTURE, EASY REGULATIONS AND GENEROUS TAX INCENTIVES WILL RENDER THESE AREAS MAGNETS FOR INVESTMENTS.

THESE POSITIVE DEVELOPMENTS WOULD HAVE BEEN DIFFICULT TO ACHIEVE WITHOUT THE SPIRIT OF COOPERATION IN THE SADC REGION. AS A LANDLOCKED COUNTRY WITH AN OPEN ECONOMY, ZAMBIA DEPENDS ON MANY OF YOU FOR THE SAFE PASSAGE OF HER EXPORTS AND IMPORTS.
THIS IS WHAT THE FOREFATHERS MEANT WHEN THEY SAID THERE WAS LITTLE MEANING IN THE INDEPENDENCE OF ZAMBIA AND OTHERS WHILE THE REST POSED A COLONIAL BASED AGGRESSION TO HER.

AS WE REJOICE AT THE TRANSFORMATION OF OUR REGION SINCE THE LAST LUSAKA SUMMIT 27 YEARS AGO, WE MUST BE MINDFUL THAT WE OURSELVES MAKE FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE SAKE OF THOSE COMING BEHIND US.

IT IS NOW VERY CLEAR THAT THE GREATEST VALUE ADDITION THAT THIS GENERATION MUST CONTRIBUTE TO OUR DEVELOPMENT PROCESS IS THE FIGHT AGAINST POVERTY. POVERTY IS A SCOURGE THAT STILL DISGRACES US.

AT INDIVIDUAL NATIONAL LEVELS, WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT STRATEGIES FOR FIGHTING POVERTY. HOWEVER, THERE ARE CERTAIN AREAS WHERE WE MUST COOPERATE IN ORDER FOR THIS FIGHT TO MOVE FORWARDS. ONE OF THESE MAJOR AREAS FOR COOPERATION IS INFRASTRUCTURE WHERE WE FACE A NUMBER OF GREAT CHALLENGES.

ONE SUCH INFRASTRUCTURE IS POWER, WHICH WE ALL KNOW IS GOING TO RUN OUT UNLESS WE DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT AND DO IT FAST. ANOTHER AREA, CERTAINLY IN THE CASE OF ZAMBIA IS ROAD LINKS TO SOME NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES ESPECIALLY ANGOLA AND PARTS OF DRC CONGO. FURTHER, WE ALSO KNOW THAT OUR RAILWAY SYSTEMS IN THEIR ENTIRE REGION ARE STRUGGLING TO COPE DUE TO INCREASING TRAFFIC LEVELS AND DELAYED REHABILITATION.

UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, LANDLOCKED ZAMBIA IS EXCITED TO NOTE THAT THE HEADS OF STATE DURING THIS SUMMIT WILL DELIBERATE ON "SCALING UP THE IMPLEMENTATION OF REGIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE".
WITH THE EXPERIENCE GAINED IN SIMILAR REGIONAL PROJECTS IN THE PAST SUCH AS THE MAPUTO CORRIDOR, THE LESOTHO HIGHLANDS WATER PROJECT ARE I AM CONFIDENT THAT WE ARE ABLE TO ACCESS MANY INNOVATIVE ROUTES, INCLUDING USE OF PRIVATE SECTOR BASED SOLUTIONS, TO ACCELERATE INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT IN THE REGION.

WHILE WE ARE HAPPY THAT THE GENERAL ECONOMIC SITUATION IN OUR REGION IS POSITIVE, WE MUST BE MINDFUL OF THE DIFFICULTIES THAT OUR COMPATRIOTS IN ZIMBABWE ARE GOING THROUGH. IN THIS CONNECTION, I WISH TO APPEAL TO ALL ZIMBABWEANS TO MAINTAIN UNITY AND SAFEGUARD YOUR HARD WON INDEPENDENCE.

MOST COUNTRIES IN THIS REGION, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A FEW LIKE SOUTH AFRICA, BOTSWANA, LESOTHO, SWAZILAND AND NAMIBIA HAVE IN THE PAST GONE THROUGH VERY TRYING TIMES WITH SHORTAGES OF BASIC COMMODITIES AND HIGH INFLATION.

THANKFULLY, MOST OF THESE COUNTRIES DID NOT RESORT TO VIOLENCE AND UPHEAVALS IN SPITE OF THE DIFFICULTIES. MY STRONG ADVICE TO THE BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN ZIMBABWE THEREFORE IS THAT MAINTAIN PEACE AND STABILITY AT ALL COSTS BECAUSE THE OPPOSITE WILL JUST PUSH YOUR BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY EVEN FURTHER BACKWARDS. IN THE MEAN TIME SADC IS THERE FOR YOU.
THIS ORGANISATION IS ALWAYS READY TO ASSIST WHERE IT CAN TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEMS AFFECTING MEMBER COUNTRIES, INDIVIDUALLY AND SEVERALLY.

AS I CLOSE, LET ME REITERATE THAT ZAMBIA IS VERY HAPPY TO HOST THE SADC SUMMIT FOR THE FIRST TIME AFTER 27 YEARS. WE ARE VERY PROUD THAT AN ORGANISATION THAT WAS BORN HERE TODAY BRINGS US BACK IN THIS COUNTRY WITH MANY ACHIEVEMENTS WHICH WHEN CONSIDERED IN 1980 APPEARED TO BE PIPE DREAMS. WHO IN 1980 WOULD HAVE IMAGINED THAT WE WOULD TODAY SIT WITH LEADERS OF A FREE SOUTH AFRICA AND A FREE NAMIBIA?

WHO IN 1980 WOULD HAVE IMAGINED OF AN ORDINARY ZAMBIAN OR TANZANIAN TRAVELLING TO SOUTH AFRICA WITHOUT A VISA? WHO IN 1980 WOULD HAVE IMAGINED THAT WE WOULD BE TRADING SO MUCH AMONGST OURSELVES? TODAY, THESE THINGS ARE POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF THE ORIGINAL DREAMS BEHIND THE LUSAKA DECLARATION.

OUR CHALLENGE IS TO PUSH THE AGENDA FORWARDS SO THAT WHEN THE NEXT SUMMIT IS HELD HERE IN THE BIRTH PLACE OF SADC THOSE COMING AFTER US WILL ALSO REFLECT BACK WITH A SENSE OF SATISFACTION.

IN CONCLUSION, I AM AWARE OF THE ARRAY OF ITEMS ON OUR AGENDA THAT ARE BEFORE US DURING THIS SUMMIT. HOWEVER, I WISH TO REQUEST YOUR EXCELLENCIES AND THE DISTINGUISHED DELEGATES TO FIND TIME IN YOUR BUSY SCHEDULE TO SAMPLE THE ZAMBIAN HOSPITALITY WHICH THE CITY OF LUSAKA OFFERS.

IT IS NOW MY SINGULAR HONOUR AND PLEASURE TO WISH YOU ALL A PLEASANT STAY IN LUSAKA, THE BIRTH PLACE OF SADC, AND I WISH YOU FRUITFUL DELIBERATIONS.

ONCE AGAIN WELCOME TO ZAMBIA AND LUSAKA IN PARTICULAR. I LOOK FORWARD TO A SUCCESSFUL SUMMIT.

MAY GOD BLESS THE SADC REGION.

THANK YOU.