AfricaPress-Tanzania: THE Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) has resolved to erect a statue of Tanzania’s first president Julius Nyerere at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to appreciate his contribution as one of the founders of the bloc.
Briefing reporters at the opening of a virtual SADC Council of Ministers meeting, Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation minister Prof Palamagamba Kabudi said the bust will be placed outside the aptly named Julius Nyerere Peace and Security Building in Addis.
The process has already started and soon we will engage a contractor for the task. This will go together with ceremonies to mark 40 years since SADC was established, and Tanzania will participate fully owing to its role in founding the bloc, he said.
The Julius Nyerere Peace and Security Building was inaugurated on 12 October 2016 by the Commission of the African Union and was named after Nyerere as “one of the foremost Pan Africanists and peacebuilders.”
For her part, SADC Executive Secretary Dr Stergomena Tax said the main objective of the ministerial meeting is to assess progress made during the 2020/2021 financial year and deliberate on the outlook for 2021/2022.
She reported that fiscal 2020/21 has been unique and challenging for everyone, at corporate and country levels but through unity the bloc managed to rein in the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Considering the hardships brought about by COVID-19, and in line with your decision of August 2020, the Secretariat undertook an analysis of activities amenable to devising cost saving measures,” she stated, noting that the proposed measures will be tabled during the meeting.
During the 2020/21 financial year special attention was placed in enhancing national and regional disaster risk management, plus capacities in research and manufacturing of pharmaceuticals, essential medicines and medical supplies, she stated.
“To kick start this initiative, around 17 companies from SADC member states have been earmarked for support to manufacture COVID-19 medical and pharmaceutical products within the region,” she said.
The Julius Nyerere Peace and Security Building was inaugurated by the AU Commission in 2016 at its new AU head offices in Addis Ababa.
The building hosts the AU Peace and Security Department, and provides a base for operations of the continental early warning system and coordinating AU- led peace support operations, the commissioner added.
