The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Council of Ministers meeting in Pretoria should explore ways of cooperating to intensify industrialisation in the region to boost economic growth, South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Lindiwe Sisulu on Monday.

Sisulu, who also chairs the regional SADC’s Council of Ministers, made the remarks while welcoming SADC ministers, ambassadors and other senior government officials to the high-level summit.

“Industrialisation remains a core pre-requisite for prosperity in the region and has to be achieved through a strong partnership with the private sector. It is therefore clear that all SADC members should focus on the need to strengthen the region’s capabilities both inside and outside of government in order to advance regional industrialisation,” said Sisulu.

“It is our belief that SADC governments should identify priority value chains and take steps to attract the private sector into these specific sectors.”

As part of that regional strategy, Sisulu said South Africa is “working on a set of deliverables” which will focus on some high-impact cross border projects in order to support manufacturing and the creation of new regional value chains.

“We will report back to the next SADC Summit in August this year on progress in this respect. Our vision for our chairship is to provide for ourselves policy direction and for all of us an enabling environment for a sustainable programme that prioritises the preparation of high impact cross-border projects that are pragmatic, that enhance skills, create jobs and boost regional trade,” she said.

Sisulu said all members of the regional bloc had committed to bettering the lives of their people by boosting economic growth.

"To this end, we have a long journey to travel and we cannot be found to be wanting or to have failed. It is therefore, fundamental that we unleash the appropriate resources and make a concerted effort to work together towards the SADC our people deserve and an SADC we can be proud of.”

The SADC Council of Ministers was preceded by the meeting of the SADC standing committee of senior officials, and the meeting of the finance committee.

The Council of Ministers oversees the functioning SADC institution and ensures that policies and decisions are implemented. The council consists of ministers from each of the 16 member states - usually from the ministries of foreign affairs, economic planning or finance - and meets twice a year.

On Monday, Sisulu also used her address to extend “a special word of welcome” to Minister Sibusiso Moyo of Zimbabwe, Minister Joseph Malanji of Zambia, Minister Jose’ Pacheco of Mozambique and Minister Manuel Augusto of Angola. Like Sisulu, the four mentioned ministers have recently taken over new Cabinet portfolios in their respective nations, and were attending the SADC Council of Ministers for the first time.