Africa-Press – Mauritius. The African Union (AU) has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in achieving its key priorities.
These are industrialisation, agricultural transformation, energy security, and intra-regional trade. This commitment was made by the AU Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, at the 45th Ordinary SADC Summit yesterday.
The Chairperson emphasised that the AU stands as a committed partner in helping SADC realise its top four priority goals, which are critical to transforming the region and ensuring no nation, including Eswatini, is left behind.
The AU Chairperson commended SADC’s focus on industrialisation as a political and social imperative, not just an economic strategy. The AU pledged to mobilise resources and promote policies that prioritise value addition and technology adoption, aligning with Eswatini’s efforts to diversify its economy beyond traditional exports like sugar.
On agricultural transformation for food security the AU committed to supporting SADC’s investments in climate-smart agriculture and agro-processing. Regarding energy security for industrial growth the AU pledged to mobilise climate finance and promote regional energy projects to ensure clean, reliable, and affordable energy.
On boosting Intra-Regional Trade which remains at a low 20 per cent compared to 60 per cent in other regions, the AU endorsed SADC’s efforts to remove trade barriers and establish one-stop border posts to facilitate the movement of goods, services, and people.
The Chairperson underscored that Africa stands at a crossroads but also on the cusp of transformation. The SADC region’s resilience, demonstrated through political leadership and cooperation, serves as a beacon for the continent.
“SADC’s priorities align seamlessly with the African Union’s Agenda 2063, which envisions a prosperous and peaceful Africa driven by its citizens,” the Chairperson said, adding, “Together, we can create a legacy of a resilient, industrialised, food-secure, and energy-sufficient SADC for generations to come.”
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