SADC: DEEPER COOPERATION PRESCRIBED
	Deeper and Wider cooperation is imperative if the Southern African Development Community (SADC) is to realize its ideal of true integration and have a long-lasting impact on the lives of the people. This is the view of former SADC Executive Secretary, Dr Simba Makoni, who underlined the need to invest in the peoples of the region (who he described as the very life blood of the organisation), by encouraging their broad participation in the conception, development and implementation of project ideas. Dr Makoni pointed out that, much as nationalism is a key factor in the future of SADC, leaders should not be bound by the patriotism of the liberation struggle, but rather the common vision of collectively shaping the grouping's future. On the issue of resource mobilization, Dr Makoni argued that SADC nations should try to the best of their abilities to finance most of their own development projects rather than look to donor funding. He was delivering a public lecture in Maseru on Tuesday, organised by the National University of Lesotho in partnership with the SADC secretariat as part of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit of Heads of State and Government activities currently taking place here. The purpose of the public lecture was to review progress made by the regional organisation since its founding in 1980, and was entitled 'SADC Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.' Dr Makoni is a former Finance Minister of Zimbabwe and former Executive Secretary of SADC and has experience in amongst others international diplomacy, development policy formulation and strategic planning. He is the Managing Director for Makonsult, a consulting practice firm focusing on politics and strategies that bears on business and politics in Eastern and Southern Africa. The event was attended by, among others, Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili and his deputy, members of the Executive, Judiciary, Diplomatic Community, Senior Government Officials and Academia. Meanwhile, the Minister of Finance and Development Planning Dr Timothy Thahane, hosted a reception in honour of his colleagues from the visiting SADC nations, on Tuesday evening.
	Source: LENA