His Excellency Mr. Alain Berset, President of the Swiss Confederation has described the Southern African Development Community (SADC), as an important regional bloc worth associating with. President Berset was speaking when he visited the SADC Secretariat on 07th February 2023, on the margins of his two-day State visit to the Republic of Botswana.
President Berset who was welcomed to the Secretariat by the Executive Secretary of SADC His Excellency Mr Elias M Magosi highlighted that his government recognised SADC's ideals of economic development, the rule of law, democracy, peace and security and general improvement of Southern African people's quality of life, and added that it was necessary for Switzerland to forge partnerships with SADC to support its development and economic activities.
In welcoming the President to the SADC Secretariat, Mr Magosi expressed gratitude to the President for sparing time in his busy schedule to visit the SADC Headquarters and applauded the cooperation between SADC and the Swiss Confederation. Mr Magosi, said he looked forward to renewed cooperation with the Swiss Confederation in the areas that are complementary to the SADC Vision 2050 and the overarching priorities of the SADC Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) 2020-2030, which is based on a firm foundation of Peace, Security, and Democratic Governance, and is premised on the following Pillars:
- Industrial Development and Market Integration;
- Infrastructure Development in support of Regional Integration; and
- Social and Human Capital Development; and
- Cross-Cutting Issues including Gender, Youth, Environment and Climate Change, and Disaster Risk Management.
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President Berset was accompanied to the SADC Secretariat by Hon Dr. Lemogang Kwape, the Minister of International Affairs and Cooperation of the Republic of Botswana, and a delegation of eight officials who included, H.E. Nicolas Brühl, Ambassador of Switzerland to Botswana, H.E. Ambassador Siri Walt, Head of Africa Division, in the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Ambassador Nora Kronig Romero, Vice-Director General of the Federal Office of Public Health, Mr Michael Braendle, Chief of Staff to President Alain Berset, Ms Natalie Kohli, Senior Advisor to President Alain Berset, Ms Veronique Haller, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Switzerland to Botswana, Ms Fanny Charmey, First Secretary, Embassy of Switzerland to Botswana, and Mr Christian Favre, Head of Communication of President Alain Berset.
The SADC Executive Secretary was accompanied by the Directors for Policy Planning and Resource Mobilisation, Dr Mubita Luwabelwa, and Mr Domingos Gove, for Food Agriculture and Natural Resources, Ms Kealeboga Moruti the Acting Director of the Organ on Politics Defence and Security Affairs, and Ms Barbara Lopi, the Head of Communications and Public Relations at the SADC Secretariat.
