THE Southern African Development Community (SADC) regional bloc has called for accelerated disaster preparedness and resilient building as disasters continue to affect economic growth of the region. The Committee of Ministers responsible for Disaster Risk Management made the call at a just-ended meeting in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Peter Kankonde, committee chairperson, urged the region to increase its preparedness in the fight against climate change and natural disasters, and continuously seek to enhance disaster risk management. Kankonde, who…

AFTER the Southern African Development Community (SADC) approved the deployment of a military force to restore peace and security in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), civil society organizations in the region have urged leaders to show similar commitment to other crises in the region. The Southern African People’s Solidarity Network (SAPSN) and Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CiZC) made the appeal after the leaders met in Namibia in an effort to end the incessant conflict in the eastern partsof DRC.…

SOUTH Africa’s agricultural export expansion drive to Asia should not be at the expense of existing markets, mostly the Southern African Development Community (SADC) regional bloc. In addition, the country must ensure cordial trade relations with fellow African nations in this drive to broaden its export base. This is the view of locally-based agricultural expert, Wandile Sihlobo. Sihlobo, chief economist at the Agricultural Business Chamber (Agbiz), maintained South Africa should expand its markets to Bangladesh, China, India, Saudi Arabia and…