President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah delivers her maiden SADC Summit speech in Antananarivo, Madagascar. Photo credit: @NamPresidency
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has delivered her first address as Head of State at the 45th Southern African Development Community (SADC) Summit in Antananarivo, Madagascar.
In her maiden speech, President Nandi-Ndaitwah warned that the region’s development goals cannot be achieved while hunger, youth unemployment, and other socio-economic challenges persist. She urged member states to turn SADC’s Vision 2050 and the Regional Development Plan into tangible actions that will benefit citizens across the region.
Public policy analyst Dr. Marius Kudumo comments.
This year’s summit comes as Madagascar assumes the SADC rotating presidency for the first time. Discussions are focused on increasing regional self-reliance and reducing dependency on foreign aid. Isaac Lukando reports from Antananarivo.