The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Ministers for Transport, Information and Communications Technology (ICT), and Information and Meteorology are set to meet on Friday, the SADC secretariat has announced.
The meeting, which will be preceded by the meeting of Senior Officials to he held from tomorrow until Thursday, will discuss issues of similar concern and benefit to the region.
In the transport sector, the Ministers will, among the key issues, consider and discuss the reports of the SADC Civil Aviation Committee, SADC Roads, Road Transport and Traffic Committee and SADC Railways Committee. The discussion are aimed at accelerating the development of transport infrastructure in all modes and regional corridors, harmonisation of transport laws, regulations and standards and liberalisation of the sector for better performance.
The Ministers will also review progress on implementation of regional guidelines and measures set to respond to COVID-19 which has disputed the region’s integration and economic development programmes especially trade facilitation.
On ICT, the Ministers will discuss issues aimed at ensuring enhanced information and communication technologies including SADC Broadband Targets 2025, Approaches to Universal Access and Service, Framework for Establishing the SADC Regional Computer Incident Response Teams (CIRT), SADC Framework for a Shared Satellite System and Status of Regional Internet Exchange Points (RIXPs).
Discussing issues of meteorology, the Ministers will talk about the harmonisation of various strategies on Meteorology.
The three sectors seek to ensure efficient transport system to facilitate trade, socio-economic ties and regional integration; develop the information and communications sector through expanded voice telephony, undersea fibre optic cables, and constant worldwide Internet access to allow immediate global contact and transfer of information; and to mitigate the risks of changes in weather patterns that can affect key industries such as agriculture and power generation. By so doing, SADC aims to accelerate regional integration and economic development.
