The President of Angola, João Lourenço, has called on member states of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to expedite the ratification of the Development Fund. Speaking on Thursday during his acceptance of the one-year rotating presidency of SADC, Lourenço emphasized the importance of the fund as a crucial tool for generating finance for the regional industrialization program.
In his address, President Lourenço pledged to diversify the sources of funding for projects and programs at both the member state and regional level. He stressed the need to reduce dependence on international cooperation partners, despite their valuable solidarity and support. Lourenço urged member states to expedite the approval and ratification of the agreement on the operationalization of the SADC Regional Development Fund, emphasizing its pivotal role in attracting essential financial resources.
During his term, President Lourenço highlighted the importance of investing not only in human capital but also in critical areas such as electrification, ethanol production, and food production for the industrialization of member states and the region as a whole. He emphasized the need for serious commitment to electrification and extensive increase in energy production. Lourenço further called for the interconnection of transmission network systems to enhance energy sharing and production.
Additionally, President Lourenço underlined the significance of expanding and interconnecting road and rail networks to facilitate greater maritime and air links between member states. He stressed the importance of enhancing trade and the movement of people and goods to achieve genuine regional integration.
Angola, as an active participant in the region, is striving to recover and build infrastructure that will enhance regional connectivity. The Lobito corridor, for example, will facilitate the interconnection and movement of people and goods between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, offering more advantageous conditions for exporting products to international markets. Angola is also making significant investments in non-polluting energy sources, transmission networks, and telecommunications infrastructure, including a fiber optic cable connecting Angola to the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia.
President Lourenço’s presidency will place a strong emphasis on human capital development, with a key focus on training and technical-vocational qualifications for young people. This approach aims to equip them with the necessary skills to access employment opportunities and address the challenges posed by the fourth industrial revolution and digitalization in the region’s economies.
Addressing the issue of security within the region, President Lourenço expressed his concerns about the situation in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). He highlighted joint efforts between the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), the Economic Community of Central African States (CEAAC), SADC, and the African Union to resolve the ongoing conflict within the DRC.
Applauding the decision to deploy a regional force as part of the SADC Standby Force for the restoration of peace and security in the DRC, President Lourenço emphasized the commitment to support efforts in the region. He also welcomed the progress made in addressing terrorism and violent extremism in Cabo Delgado, Mozambique, while acknowledging the need to maintain the SADC mission in the country for another 12 months.
Furthermore, President Lourenço highlighted the upcoming elections in the DRC, the Kingdom of Eswatini, Madagascar, and Zimbabwe, which will be monitored by the SADC to ensure that they are conducted peacefully, freely, and in accordance with the region’s principles and guidelines.
As João Lourenço assumes the presidency of SADC, his focus on industrialization, infrastructure development, and human capital investment reflects Angola’s determination to promote regional integration and uplift the economies of member states. The acceleration of the ratification process for the SADC Development Fund will be a key step towards realizing these ambitions.
