SRDC/SA HOSTS REGIONAL MEETING IN LESOTHO
 


The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa Sub- Regional Development Centre for Southern Africa (SRDC/SA) will host the ninth meeting of its Intergovernmental Committee of Experts (ICE) at Maseru Sun from Thursday April 24 to 26.

According to a statement from the Department of Gender, the main objective of the ICE meeting is to assess achievements of SRDC/SA in the past twelve months, challenges that lie ahead in the implementation of New Partnership for Africa's Development as well as to define future activities for the centre. It further explained that the framework of SRDC/SA programme is to support development activities for regional cooperation and integration in the countries of Southern Africa through regional economic communities and directly with the member states.

The press statement  said with a view to further stimulate dialogue and extend knowledge on the potential role of NEPAD, this particular ICE meeting is being organized in conjunction with a special event on governance and information and communication technology, adding that this will provide for an interactive forum for representatives of NGO's, privatesector, civil society and government to discuses partnership for development in Southern Africa.

The Department of Gender mentioned that the special event will also address issues pertaining to manners in which internet and other modern information technology could enhance and impact positively on the productivity and performance of the public sector, as well as how government could foster the citizen's involvement within the governing process. Participants are expected from the eleven member states of SRDC/SA that include Angola, Botswana, Namibia, MALAWI, Mauritius, Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

The Intergovernmental Committee of Experts is a statuary policy organ at the sub regional level that reports directly to the conference of African Ministers in charge of Economic and Social Development as well as planning. The recommendations from this meeting will be forwarded to the conference of Ministers to be held later this year.

2nd April 2003

  SOURCE: LENA