Tag Archives: Southern Africa Development Community (SADC)

Education, Regional

“Malawi making progress in early education”-Dr Kabwila

Shaffie A Mtambo

Malawi’s Minister of Higher Education, Dr. Jessie Kabwila, has highlighted the country’s progress in improving early education, particularly in mathematics.

Speaking at a meeting of education ministers from Southern Africa (SADC), Dr. Kabwila emphasized that Malawi’s efforts are part of a national programme to support the long-term Malawi 2063 (MW2063) vision.

The country has introduced a new maths curriculum for Standards 1 to 4, benefiting over 2.2 million learners.

To support this initiative, the government has trained over 30,000 teachers and distributed more than 4.7 million workbooks and teacher guides.

Dr. Kabwila noted that these efforts aim to improve learning outcomes and equip children with essential skills in reading, writing, and mathematics.

The minister is participating in the SADC Council of Ministers of Education and Training, Science, Technology, and Innovation, where key decisions will be made to improve education in the region.

A ministerial record outlining implementation plans for member states will be adopted at the end of the session.

Politics, Regional

Chakwera leaves SADC chairship happily

Chisomo Phiri

BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera who is leaving Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) chairship happily has urged member states to embrace solidarity in their work for shared prosperity.

Chakwera said this on Wednesday August 17, 2022 when delivering his keynote address at the 42and Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government being held in Kinsasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Chakwera leaves SADC chairship happily

The outgoing SADC Chairperson said, August 17 every year being a SADC day, each of 340 million people in the member states must cherish the unbreakable bond that connects them into monolithic social and economic structure, transcending ethnicity, geographic boarders and political system.

Chakwera further reminded the summit that 30 years downline, what continues to keep people together is a bond steeped in shared values.

He said his elapsing tenure as a SADC Chairperson brings into light of strides the organization’s member states made in strengthen their institutions in abid to achieve regional integration.

“This sort of integration comes at a time SADC is growing into a global destination for investment, trade and tourism, ” he said.

Chakwera also implored the SADC member states to remain resolute in promoting macroeconomic stability, investment in human capital development, support peace and security across SADC region and while creating opportunities for people to prosper.

He extended his keynote address by reminding SADC states members to continue upholding values of good governance and democracy.

He said” I finish my term, on behalf of the people of Malawi, a gratified man made this far.

“We are all confident of continued implementation of SADC Policies and programs under the incoming chairmanship of President Felix Tshisekedi and the people of Democratic Republic of Congo.”

After his keynote address, Chakwera handedover the SADC Chairmanship to DRC President Felix Tshisekedi who is to be the organization’s Chairperson for the next one year.

The SADC member states also honoured the founders of the regional body which included First Malawian President Hastings Kamuzu Banda whose role in the formulation of SADC is part of living history.

SADC

SADC trains 26 civilian experts for deployment in peace keeping Missions in Africa

Malawi News Agency (MANA)

Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) has said it recognizes the role of deploying Civilian staff in peace keeping support operations in countries facing conflicts in Africa.

The remarks were made Friday by Malawi’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Annie Kumwenda close a two week Civilian foundation Course for peace support operations at SADC Regional Training Centre in Harare, Zimbabwe.

She said SADC member states were aware of the center’s impact on promotion of regional peace and security, observing, the founders of the organization fought for independence.

Kumwenda explained that now peace is paramount to social and economic development of the region.

The Ambassador pointed out that the training was in line with the African Stand by Force (ASF) Policy frame within the African Union peace support operations, which stipulates that personnel should be equipped with the required skills in to perform their expected functions when deployed in missions.

“Modern peace keeping missions needs more civilians that are core to addressing the social needs of multidimensional peace keeping operations that also include the military and the police,” she observed.

Kumwenda described the training of the 26 participants that included experts from seven countries namely: Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Zambia, Lesotho, Botswana, South Africa and Malawi as crucial in achieving the Africa Union agenda ‘African solution for African problems,’ where Africa should be able to solve its own problems.

Commandant at SADC Regional Peace Keeping Centre, Brigadier, Bongani Jonas expressed the hope that the training has made some milestones where the number of trained rostered civilian personnel had increased ready to serve Africa.

He said the civilians would work hand in hand with their counter part from the armed forces and the police to achieve the peace support operations mandate if deployed.

Among the expertise areas of the participants were lawyers, journalists, engineers, administrators, medicine doctors, procurement, gender, banking and finance among others which forms the civilian component of the peace keeping mission from both government and Civil, Society organizations.

A total of eight Malawian civilian experts attended the course drawn from Ministry of Gender, Children Disability and Social Welfare, Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security, Ministry of Civic Education, Culture and Community Development, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Labour, Youth, Sports and Manpower Development, Ministry of Information and Civil Society Organizations.