Rejection of second-class status in the global economy

Darlington Musarruwa, ubicado en Lilongwe, Malawi
Yesterday, President Mnangagwa had a tea party with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa during the 41st Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Southern African Development Community held in Lilongwe, capital of Malawi.

President Ramaphosa paid a courtesy visit to President Mnangagwa, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Frederic Chava, and Minister of Defense and Veterans Affairs Oba Mochingori Kashri attended with his South African counterparts.

The two presidents later met with leaders from other regions at the opening ceremony of the summit. The outgoing SADC Executive Secretary, Dr Stegomina Lawrence Tex, emphasized the need for regional unity, including opposing the Zimbabwean implementation. sanctions position.

“As in the years of struggle for the liberation of the countries of southern Africa, every time the SADC group announces its united position, the world listens to it,” said Dr. Tokes.

“When the Southern African Development Community came together to lift the sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe, the right to self-determination of the people of Western Sahara and non-interference in the internal affairs of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, the whole world was listening intently. This is true even at the continental level.

However, it should be noted that we are currently facing various challenges in the new economic order. Let us preserve and strengthen our place in unity and avoid division and marginalization, for we will be together when we are together. Today’s challenges are different and complex. Sometimes it may seem invisible, but it is real. We must be vigilant and united.”

Dr Thaks said that although the SADC countries had made significant progress in managing their economies, the Covid-19 pandemic and lower commodity prices had put more pressure on the already weak regional economy.

Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera, who formally took over the presidency of the 16-member regional group, said there was an urgent need to address inequalities and disparities in access to a Covid-19 vaccine as it “severely hampers” efforts to save lives. Millions of people.” Sadek.

He said that Africans have a moral responsibility to refuse to participate in a second-class status in the rules of global economic participation, and they can work together to change the global status quo as it is being manipulated against the African continent.

“Now, as the world faces this global health crisis that has caused millions of deaths, disrupted the economy and changed the social order, as Africans, we have a moral responsibility to refuse to participate in the distribution and production of Covid vaccines. – 19. . Vaccines are manufactured in labs, and some of the scientists who do this work are Africans.”

Therefore, it is time to insist that a vaccine that protects and preserves the basic human right to life belongs to all countries, regardless of who discovered it.

“Our deliberate view is that the SADC we want is unsustainable without providing a level playing field for the Covid-19 pandemic, revitalizing the agricultural sector, increasing value addition, promoting trade, and simplifying rules of origin.”

President Shakevera stated that the SADC should use the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to become the “granary and export basket” of the African continent.

It also urges the member states to fully implement the industrialization strategy and roadmap, regional agricultural policy, regional infrastructure development master plan, etc., with a view to creating a modern, stable, modern and prosperous region.

In his speech at the summit, former SADC President and Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi indicated that regional leaders will keep pace with the progress of SADC forces deployed in response to the rebellion in northern Mozambique.

We congratulate the countries of the region for their rapid brotherhood and unity, which is reflected in the deployment of the SADC Reserve Force capability in the spirit of the SADC Mutual Defense Treaty, implemented in Pemba, Cabo Delgado Province in August. On February 9, 2021. The city begins. I say.

The deployment of this mission is the result of coordinated actions in close cooperation between our country and the head of the SADC Agency for Political, Defense and Security Cooperation.

“We recognize the need to complement these military interventions with immediate humanitarian aid and medium- and long-term development investments, and to prevent and educate citizens about this scourge.”

Zimbabwe offers 304 professional military instructors for this mission.

At the 2021 SADC Media Awards held during the summit, Emmanuel Chamalimba of Zimpapers Television Network (ZTN) won second prize in the Television News category, flying the Zimbabwe banner.

The award was established in 1996 to honor the media’s best work in disseminating SADC information in support of regional integration and cooperation in the region.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, this year’s summit will have a limited number of delegates. The theme of the summit is “Strengthening production capacity in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic to achieve comprehensive and sustainable economic and industrial transformation.”

The regional agency has chosen a hybrid format that combines face-to-face meetings and virtual participation.