By CATHERINE NYIRENDA –

in Harare, Zimbabwe
THE SADC has drafted a strategy and roadmap policy document to guide member States in its quest to achive socio-economic transformation through industrialisation.
The document, which is ready for consideration by the Council of Ministers attending the SADC Extraordinary Meeting at Meikles Hotel, was adopted by the Ministerial Taskforce that met in Harare on April 12, 2015.
SADC Council of Ministers chairperson Simbarashe Mumbengegwi said yesterday that the draft strategy and roadmap for industrialisation recognises that industrial policy formulation and implementation would largely be undertaken at national level.
Dr Mumbengegwi said during the official opening of the Extraordinary SADC Council of Ministers’ Meeting that the success of the draft strategy and roadmap would depend on forging effective partnerships between the governments and the private sector.
“The draft policy also seeks to engender major economic and technological transformation and national and regional levels, aimed at accelerating growth and enhancing comparative and competitive advantage of the economies of the region,” Dr Mumbengegwi said.
He said the roadmap outlined challenges, interventions as well as programme outcomes and key performance indicators under the three core pillars of strategy namely industrialisation, competitiveness and regional integration.
It also recognised the need to acknowledge the symbiotic relationship that existed between industrialisation and trade.
He said the roadmap for the strategy and roadmap spanned over a period of 48 years from 2015 to 2053.
During this period the SADC region would see itself progress from being a factor-driven to being investment-driven from 2021- to 2050 and beyond.
SADC Executive Secretary Stergomena Tax said during the meeting that the strategy was a living policy framework which would also contribute to sustainable development, poverty reduction and improved livelihood.
Dr Tax said the strategy anchored on industrialisation, transformation, competitiveness, as part of an active process to move from comparative advantage to competitive edge and regional integration and geography as content for industrial development and economic prosperity.
He appealed to the Council of Ministers to expeditiously finalise the implementation plan of the strategy and Roadmap in the investment plan, in line with the short , medium and long-term parameters outlined therein.
Zambia is being represented at the meeting by Commerce Minister Margaret Mwanakatwe, Lusaka Province Minister Obvious Mwaliteta, Finance Deputy Minister Christopher Mvunga , Zambia’s High Commissioner to Zimbabwe Ndiyoyi Mutiti and other senior Government officials.