Panafrican News Agency

Namibia hosts SADC Council of Ministers meeting in Windhoek

Gaborone, Botswana (PANA) -The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Council of Ministers will meet from 15-16 March 2019 in Windhoek, Namibia, for their first biannual session this year.

According to SADC senior public relations officer, Barbara Lopi, Namibia's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ms. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah will host the meeting in her capacity as current Chairperson of the SADC Council of Ministers .

The Council oversees the functioning and development of SADC, and ensures that policies and decisions are implemented.

The Council comprises ministers from the 16 Member States, usually from the ministries responsible for Foreign Affairs and International Relations, Economic Planning or Finance.

During the two days, the ministers will discuss issues of regional importance; consider a number of strategic documents and receive reports on the implementation of the priority areas of the revised Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan 2015-2020 (RISDP).

Council will also review implementation of the 38th SADC Summit decision on 'Promoting Infrastructure Development and Youth Empowerment for Sustainable Development', and approve the SADC Secretariat’s budget for the year 2019/2020.

 The ministerial session will be preceded by the meeting of the SADC Standing Committee of Senior Officials on 11March and the meeting of the Finance Committee on 12 March.

-0- PANA MS/AR 12Mar2019