The Southern African Development Community (SADC) is set to convene its 44th summit in the Zimbabwean capital on Saturday, August 17.
The gathering of regional leaders will focus on fostering innovation to drive economic growth and development within the bloc.
Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa will assume the chairmanship of the 16-member SADC, succeeding Angola’s President João Lourenço.
As the new chair, Mnangagwa will lead efforts to implement the summit’s theme of promoting innovation for sustained economic progress.
Prior to the main summit, the SADC Organ Troika on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation held ministerial meetings in Harare.
Zambian Foreign Minister Mulambo Haimbe emphasized the organ’s pivotal role in maintaining regional peace and stability.
As Zambia prepares to hand over the organ’s chairmanship to Tanzania, Haimbe called for united action among member states to address pressing security challenges, including terrorism and violent extremism.
The minister expressed deep concern over the deteriorating security situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), marked by attacks on displaced persons camps perpetrated by the M23 rebel group and other armed factions.
Haimbe also acknowledged ongoing diplomatic efforts under the Luanda peace process to de-escalate tensions and establish lasting peace between the DRC and Rwanda.
The outcomes of the summit are expected to shape the region’s trajectory in areas such as economic development,security, and regional integration.