JOHANNESBURG — Journalists have been urged to play a role in promoting development of Sadc’s industrialisation strategy and roadmap.
BY PHILLIP CHIDAVAENZI
The call was made by Sadc’s Industrial Development and Trade acting director, Lomkhosi Mkhonta-Gama at a media workshop in Johannesburg, yesterday.
“We consider the media a critical stakeholder in disseminating news about Sadc. You can become keen advocates for the plans and aspirations of the region,” she said, adding that media co-operation was key in driving the process.
Mkhonta-Gama noted that the roadmap, approved by Sadc leaders in 2015, envisaged the need to improve the region’s living standards to match the developed world.
“There is need to raise living standards and intensify structural development to ensure rapid catch up of the region with developed countries,” she said.
Mkhonta-Gama said Sadc’s aspirations and achievements should be widely disseminated by the media to fully realise the aim of eradicating poverty.
Monnane Monnane of the Sadc secretariat also said it was essential to improve living standards and ensure progression towards innovation rather than sorely rely on minerals for economic development.
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“We need to move towards innovation as people with creative energy to keep our economies growing rather than rely on minerals,” he said.
Monnane called on the region to embrace regional integration and inclusiveness and enhance skills development.
“We believe once we are competitive as countries, then regional integration is much easier as we are able to open up for companies for sister countries to come in,” he said.
“You can’t innovate when your skills level is very low, if the Labour costs are high and if your institutions are not geared to facilitate industrialisation.”
The Sadc Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap 2015 – 2063 recognises that for trade liberalisation to contribute to sustainable development and poverty reduction.
