FÉLIX TSHISEKEDI PRESIDENT OF THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO AND NEW CHAIR OF THE SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY (SADC)

The Head of State of the DRC, Felix TSHISEKEDI took the lead of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) at the summit held in Kinshasa recently in front of his peers from the sub-region.

In his acceptance speech on 17 August 2022 as the new SADC chair, President Félix Tshisekedi pledged to continue the job his predecessor, Lazarus Chakwera, Malawian president started. He praised the latter’s push to advance SADC integration projects despite covid 19’s devastating effects on SADC member countries’ economy.

The new SADC leader vowed to consult and rely on member States’ assistance to achieve the objectives of prosperity SADC’s founding fathers had set for the Southern Africa’s population.

The DRC president underscores his country’s government’s commitment to support the implementation of the Programs and projects included in the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP 2020-2030) as inspired by the Organization’s vision 2050. Revealing a part of his action program, he said that he will work, during his one-year term as SADC’s chair, to implement any program to develop infrastructures. He will also promote regional services in connection with the various strategies that stimulate economic integration and poverty eradication in the sub-region.

The Kinshasa summit’s theme was «Promoting industrialization through agro-processing, the valorization of minerals and the development of regional value chains in order to achieve inclusive and sustainable economic growth.» President Tshisekedi declared industrialization a major goal of his actions. A path to industrialization is «agro-processing, mineral valorization and regional value chains in order to achieve inclusive and sustainable economic growth.” He also advocated for a synergy of actions between member States, the private sector and development partners for better regional integration.

Felix Tshisekedi, the new SADC president insisted once more on the development of infrastructure, essential for economic growth, which, according to him, should be a priority across the SADC sub-region. He pointed out communication technologies as a catalyst for industrialization, and a powerful vector for socio-economic transformation.