Sadc urges countries to embrace regional vision
Southern African Development Community (Sadc)deputy executive secretary Thembinkosi Mhlongo has asked member States to refer to the regional vision when formulating domestic development plans.
The deputy head of Sadc said this on Thursday in Lilongwe at the start of a meeting of National Planning Entities Platform in the bloc.
Mhlongo said: “The regional initiatives create momentum for working together, and by working together much more can be accomplished, therefore, domestication of regional plans is very important.”
In his remarks, Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs Sosten Gwengwe said Malawi’s national development plans are already aligned to the Regional Indicative Strategy Development Plans (Risdp) 2020-2030.
He said: “Malawi recently developed and launched its new long-term development vision, the Malawi 2063. The first 10-year implementation plan is very much aligned to Risdp 2020-2030 in many ways.”
The minister said Malawi 2063 , for instance, envisions an ‘inclusively wealthy and self-reliant industrialised upper-middle-income country,’ an aspiration that resonates and domesticates the strategic priorities in the regional vision.
According to organisers of the meeting, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) Southern Africa office, the planning entities network provides a platform for experience sharing and information exchange, particularly on approaches, best practices, success factors and lessons.
They say this in turn promotes coordination and collaboration among development planning entities, particularly in relation to the adoption of coherent approaches in the implementation of regional, continental and global development frameworks.
In her remarks, ECA Africa Sub-regional Office for Southern Africa director Eunice Kamwendo, said: “Development planning entities platform is an opportunity for the Sadc member States to work together towards fostering ownership of the Risdp 2020-2030.”
The meeting seeks to revive the activities of the platform and strengthen its capacities in the regional alignment of national development plans.
