Southern African Development Community (Sadc) member states have reaffirmed their collective commitment to deepening regional integration, modernising infrastructure, and boosting cross-border connectivity.
This emerged in Bulawayo at a high-level Sadc cluster meeting on transport, ICT, information, and meteorology.
The Sadc cluster meeting of senior officials, which opened in Bulawayo on Tuesday, is being hailed as a critical platform for aligning policies and accelerating programmes that underpin economic transformation across the region.
Bulawayo Provincial Affairs and Devolution ministry permanent secretary, Paul Nyoni, said the country remains fully dedicated to the Sadc integration agenda and the pursuit of coordinated regional development.
“Zimbabwe remains fully committed to the Sadc regional integration agenda and recognises the critical role that coordinated infrastructure development initiatives play in driving economic growth and strengthening regional connectivity,” Nyoni said.
South Africa’s Department of Communications and Digital Technologies director, Nonkqubela Thathakahle Jordan-Dyani, underscored the meeting’s strategic importance in advancing regional development through infrastructure renewal and digital transformation.
She urged member states to speed up the rollout of regional programmes aimed at improving connectivity and unlocking economic opportunities for citizens across southern Africa.
Jordan-Dyani also stressed the need for policy harmonisation and collective action to achieve the goals of the Sadc Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) 2020-2030—the bloc’s blueprint for deeper integration and industrialisation.
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“We must continue to strengthen policy coordination and accelerate the implementation of regional programmes in support of the objectives of the RISDP 2020-2030,” she said.
“Sustained investment in transport infrastructure, information systems, meteorological services and digital technologies would be critical in enhancing regional competitiveness and resilience.”
The cluster meeting, brought together ministers and senior officials responsible for transport, ICT, information, and meteorology, forms part of ongoing efforts to implement the RISDP 2020-2030.
The RISDP 2020-2030 is designed to accelerate industrialisation, infrastructure development, and sustainable economic growth across the 16-member bloc.
