sadctodayvolume7no.6,february2005.docVIP

SADC Today Volume 7 No. 6, February 2005 [Page 1] SADC regional development strategy 2005 Business plans and one-year budgets presented to the SADC Council of Ministers meeting in Mauritius in February will launch the implementation of SADC’s strategy for development of southern Africa. The implementation strategy is based on two road maps – the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) and the Strategic Indicative Plan for the Organ (SIPO) on Politics, Defence and Security. The RISDP and SIPO are long term plans that were separately launched last year. Business plans for each sector or theme have been developed to unbundle the long-term plans and clearly define the responsibilities of each role player as well as the resources required during the implementation phase. One-year budgets for these business plans and for the SADC institutions 2005/6 financial year are to be approved by the Council of Ministers at its first meeting of the year, on 21-25 February in Grand Baie. They will also review progress on preparations for the SADC Consultative Conference to be convened on 25-27 April in Mauritius. Under the theme, “Partnership for the implementation of the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan”, the consultative conference will seek to build a new partnership involving key stakeholders such as international cooperating partners, civil society, NGOs and the private sector. The conference is expected to agree on the overall goal of the new partnership, its objectives and guiding principles. In the first quarter of this year, implementation of RISDP and SIPO is expected to roll into motion. “The [business] plans will help the SADC Secretariat, the member states and other stakeholders to understand the feasibility of achieving desired results from activities performed by directorates and units based on current resource constraints,” said Prega Ramsamy, SADC Executive Secretary. A priority for the Trade, Industry, Finance and Investment direct