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Accelerate economic integration, SADC told |
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Tuesday, 07 August 2012 16:45 |
 South Africa says there is need for the Southern African Development Community (SADC) member states to accelerate the economic integration agenda after a successful political integration.
As the regional bloc commemorates the SADC month, South African ambassador to Zimbabwe, Mr Vusi Mavimbela says more focus should be shifted towards economic integration.
Mr Mavimbela told ZBC News that while SADC has had a successful political integration, the member states need to strengthen ties on the economic front.
“We face competition from East Africa, West Africa and other regional blocs. No nation can make it on its own...,” said Mr Mavimbela.
SADC started as Frontline States whose objective was political liberation of Southern Africa.
The bloc was transformed into the Southern African Development Coordination Conference (SADCC), which was formed in Lusaka, Zambia on April 01, 1980, with the adoption of the Lusaka Declaration.
On August 17, 1992, at their Summit held in Windhoek, Namibia, the Heads of State and Government signed the SADC Treaty and Declaration that effectively transformed the Southern African Development Coordination Conference (SADCC) into the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
The objective also shifted to include economic integration following the independence of the rest of the Southern African countries.
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