Trade flew smoothly across Sadc under President’s Magufuli’s chairmanship

Dar es Salaam. Southern African Development Community (Sadc) on Monday that the regional bloc has registered several achievements, including the free flow of trade among partner states, during the past one year of President John Magufuli as its chairman.

President Magufuli, who assumed the chairmanship of the 16-member regional bloc in August last year (2019), is due to handover the chair to his Mozambican counterpart Filipe Nyusi this month.

It was during President Magufuli’s chairmanship that Covid-19 disrupted business flow across the world but Sadc senior officials said on Monday that the going has been smooth in the region.

Speaking in Dar es Salaam on Monday, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Brigadier General Ibuge said Sadc was able to accomplish the adoption of regional guidelines for harmonising and facilitating movement of critical goods and services across the region during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Being Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Brigadier Ibuge also assumed the role of Sadc standing committee chairperson.

He had to hand it over to his Mozambican counterpart, Alfredo Nuvunga.

He said the list of achievements also includes recommendations for endorsement of the draft of the Sadc Vision 2050 and the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) 2020-30.

At Monday’s event in Dar es Salaam, Ambassador Nuvunga was represented by Ambassador of Mozambique in Tanzania Monica Clemente.   

“We need to congratulate ourselves as a region for doing so well to maintain our regional cooperation amidst and despite those challenges,” said Ambassador Ibuge.

“Through our collective resolve, the region remains better saved.”

He said the Sadc Vision 2050 and RISDP 2020-30, which were recommended for endorsement on August 6 this year, would be submitted for consideration to the council of ministers.

“The task ahead for Mozambique is to formalise the Vision 2050 and RISDP 2020-30 after being passed by the council of ministers and then heads of state in a virtual meeting to be held on August 17,” said Brigadier General Ibuge.    

For her part Ambassador Clemente said her country would do whatever it takes to promote trade and economic ties among the member states.