Maravi

SADC honours KK

SADC honours KK
By Brighton Phiri
Wed 18 Aug. 2010, 04:01 CAT

WE are still on a long journey to our destiny as a people, Dr Kenneth Kaunda has observed.

Speaking after receiving the Sir Seretse Khama Award yesterday during the ongoing 30th Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit in Namibia, Dr Kaunda said the people in SADC had not yet reached the destination to realise their long-held goal for a continental economic community where there would be free movement of people, goods and services across the existing artificial borders.

“Our desired destiny for which we must work together in order to realise. In this long journey we shall definitely meet challenges. But I am confident that given the resourcefulness of our people, we shall overcome,” Dr Kaunda said.

”I am confident that we shall indeed overcome the malaise of underdevelopment, poverty and its offshoots of hunger, disease, corruption and above all exploitation of man by man.

With regard to diseases, I have no doubt that working together, we will succeed to reduce the incidence of malaria and tuberculosis. Indeed, in keeping with one of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, we will succeed to halt and to begin to reverse the spread of HIV and AIDS by 2015.”

Dr Kaunda said there was need to take deliberate decisions towards the realisation of SADC desired goals.

“As the old saying goes, the decisions we make today and not the chances we take, will determine our destiny,” Dr Kaunda said.

He said the SADC region had every reason to celebrate although 30 years may not be a long period in the history of an interstate organisation, which had emerged from the era of colonialism and the abominable system of apartheid in South Africa.

“For apartheid posed a serious challenge to the then independent African states which faced persistent military attacks for supporting the liberation movements,” Dr Kaunda said.

He reminded the SADC leaders that the regional grouping was formed in order to reduce economic dependence on apartheid South Africa and implement programmes and projects with national and regional impact.

Dr Kaunda said the bloc also aimed at mobilising member states’ resources in the quest for collective self-reliance and securing international understanding and support.

“Thus in 1992 the Southern African Development Community was established. I would like to mention that this move was necessitated by our realisation that the era of conflict and confrontation was giving way to one of co-operation in a climate of peace, security and stability, the prerequisites for development,” said Dr Kaunda.

Labels: KENNETH KAUNDA, SADC

posted by MrK @ 3:56 PM