SADC Indaba will tackle region’s ills head on

The unquenchable desire to create a region that is able to pool together its resources and achieve self reliance could be just what the doctor has ordered for the forthcoming Southern African Development Community (SADC) employment and labour sector conference.

The event, scheduled to be held from March 30 to April 3, in Cape Town, will be attended by ministers responsible for employment and labour as well as social partners from labour and business.

Other goals of the conference are economic growth, poverty alleviation, enhancing the standard and quality of life and support for the socially disadvantaged through regional integration.

Organisers said the meeting also intends to evolve common political values and institutions, promote self-sustaining development, and achieve synergy between national and regional strategies and programmes. Equally important for the summit was to ensure the sustainable use of natural resources and effective protection of the environment. Other goals of the event are to promote peace and security as well as strengthening the long-standing historical, social and cultural ties in the region.

An important vehicle for reaching these goals will be implementing the 2008 decisions of the SADC ministers and social partners around issues ranging from acting on continental and international commitments on poverty alleviation and promotion of employment to getting a progress report on the SADC occupational health and safety programmes.

Amidst this enthusiasm is the admission that challenges facing the region are huge and cannot be undermined. Topping these are the high levels of poverty, with about 50 percent of the populace still living below the poverty datum line, the scourge of HIV-Aids as well as the resultant low life expectancy. All these are worsened by astronomical rates of unemployment and income inequality.

“Among challenges facing us is to increase domestic investment and also tackle the problem of being internationally competitive,’’ SADC said in a message ahead of the gathering.

The employment and labour sector of SADC is a forum where labour ministers focus on the harmonisation of labour standards and map out common strategies to be used in international forums such as the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

Considering the numerous and unenviable challenges for the region, which are being worsened by the global financial crisis, there is no doubt that SADC ministers have their plates full. However, their wish to make the region competitive could one day give Africa the much sought-after glittering prize.