A JOINT meeting of Labour and Employment ministers from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) kicks off today in Dar es Salaam with Vice-President Ms Samia Suluhu Hassan set to preside over the opening.
The meeting takes place at the Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre (JNICC) in Dar es Salaam, as part of a series of events that are taking place in the country, the incumbent chair of the 16-member regional bloc.
Tanzania has played host to four high-level SADC ministerial conferences since assuming the chairmanship seat in August last year.
Apart from today’s event, one more ministerial meeting is scheduled for the 16th and 17th March in the commercial city of Dar es Salaam. This will bring together Finance and Planning, Commerce, Trade and Foreign ministers Affairs from all member states.
Acting Director of Regional Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Ms Agness Kayola told the ‘africa-press’ that preparations of the upcoming meetings are at a good stage.
“Even the SADC secretariat team is satisfied with the arrangements that have been put in place,” she assured.
The first SADC high level ministerial meeting was held between 19th and 20th September last year, involving SADC ministers responsible for Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), Public Information, Transport and Meteorology.
The meeting was held in Dar es Salaam at the same venue, opened by Prime Minister, Kassim Majaliwa and closed by second Vice-President of Zanzibar, Ambassador Seif Ali Iddi.
Held under the theme “Emerging Technologies to Support SADC Regional Integration and Sustainable Industrial Development”, the meeting provided a platform for an interactive discussion on high impact infrastructure projects and technology-related-priority issues that the region needs to immediately address.
The second meeting was staged between November 4 and 8, 2019, bringing together ministers of health and those responsible for HIV/AIDS.
They discussed a wide range of issues under the theme: SADC Cooperation is a major pillar to sustainable health development and the fight against HIV and AIDS.
Vice-President, Ms Samia Suluhu Hassan, who graced the opening of the conference, implored member states to forge common goals to address health challenges affecting the region.
The third meeting attracted ministers responsible for environment, natural resources and tourism and it was held in Tanzania’s northern tourist city of Arusha.
It was followed by a meeting of the committee of ministers responsible for disaster risk management held on 21st February this year in Zanzibar. Zanzibar President Dr Ali Mohamed Shein officiated its opening.
Also from 25th to 28th February this year, the meeting of experts on energy sector in the region took place in Dar es Salaam, in which they discussed and offered technological support on how to address low supply of power among member countries.
