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Mnangagwa delivers stark warning on SADC's economic weakness
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In his final act as Southern African Development Community (SADC) Chairperson, President Emmerson Mnangagwa delivered a blunt critique of the regional bloc, warning that its failure to strengthen economic cooperation leaves member states vulnerable to global exploitation.
Speaking at the 45th Ordinary Summit in Antananarivo on Sunday, Mnangagwa departed from diplomatic convention, describing SADC's "very low level of economic cooperation" as crippling the region and undermining its future.
"Our exports continue to be driven by primary products, and intra-regional trade remains far less than our business with other regions," he said. "We are doing ourselves a disservice and making ourselves easy targets for exploiters who will seize these loopholes."
Mnangagwa pointed to abundant resources, expertise, and opportunities that remain untapped due to disorganization, poor funding, and delays in ratifying key protocols. He singled out the SADC Regional Development Fund, intended to finance infrastructure projects, as a "low-hanging fruit" languishing because of political inertia.
"The full potential of our regional bloc has regrettably been largely inhibited by budgetary constraints," Mnangagwa said, urging member states to embrace private sector partnerships, mobilize diaspora capital, and "expedite internal processes" that have stalled integration.
Highlighting the urgency of reform, Mnangagwa warned: "Our bloc is better off as a united force than as an alliance that is disorganized and unstable. Failure to act decisively will continue to weaken us."
His parting words served as both a critique and a rallying cry, leaving Madagascar's President Andry Rajoelina, his successor, with the task of steering a bloc that Mnangagwa insists must urgently get its house in order or risk irrelevance on the global stage.
Speaking at the 45th Ordinary Summit in Antananarivo on Sunday, Mnangagwa departed from diplomatic convention, describing SADC's "very low level of economic cooperation" as crippling the region and undermining its future.
"Our exports continue to be driven by primary products, and intra-regional trade remains far less than our business with other regions," he said. "We are doing ourselves a disservice and making ourselves easy targets for exploiters who will seize these loopholes."
Mnangagwa pointed to abundant resources, expertise, and opportunities that remain untapped due to disorganization, poor funding, and delays in ratifying key protocols. He singled out the SADC Regional Development Fund, intended to finance infrastructure projects, as a "low-hanging fruit" languishing because of political inertia.
"The full potential of our regional bloc has regrettably been largely inhibited by budgetary constraints," Mnangagwa said, urging member states to embrace private sector partnerships, mobilize diaspora capital, and "expedite internal processes" that have stalled integration.
Highlighting the urgency of reform, Mnangagwa warned: "Our bloc is better off as a united force than as an alliance that is disorganized and unstable. Failure to act decisively will continue to weaken us."
His parting words served as both a critique and a rallying cry, leaving Madagascar's President Andry Rajoelina, his successor, with the task of steering a bloc that Mnangagwa insists must urgently get its house in order or risk irrelevance on the global stage.
Source - ZiFM Stereo
