By Mako Jerera
Zimbabwe, as the incoming Chair of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), is set to host a significant event today at the University of Zimbabwe. President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa will deliver the keynote address at the SADC Public Lecture, an event that underscores Zimbabwe’s pivotal role in the region’s development.
The Public Lecture will run under the theme, “Building Research Capacity and Innovation Ecosystems for a Sustainable Industrialised SADC Economy.”
This theme is closely aligned with the broader focus of the 44th SADC Heads of State and Government Summit, which emphasizes “Promoting Innovation to Unlock Opportunities for Sustained Economic Growth and Development Towards an Industrialised SADC.”
Today’s event serves as a precursor to the official arrival of SADC Heads of State, who will gather in Zimbabwe tomorrow for the summit. In anticipation of these discussions, the Public Lecture will lay the groundwork for a regional framework dedicated to enhancing research capacity and fostering innovation ecosystems at all levels of education across SADC member states.
In a statement, the SADC Secretariat highlighted the significance of this event, emphasizing its role in setting the stage for future regional development. “The Southern African Development Community (SADC) will host a Public Lecture at the Diamond Lecture Theatre of the University of Zimbabwe on 15th August 2024. The event is organized by the University of Zimbabwe in collaboration with the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation Science and Technology Development of the Republic of Zimbabwe.”
The statement continued, “His Excellency, Dr. Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Chancellor of State Universities, and the incoming Chairperson of SADC, will deliver the keynote address at the Public Lecture. The President will be accompanied by General (Rtd) Dr. Constantino D. G. N. Chiwenga, the Vice President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, and Ministers from SADC Member States. His Excellency Mr. Elias M. Magosi, the Executive Secretary of SADC, will also grace the occasion.”
The Public Lecture will feature a high-level panel discussion involving policymakers and academic leaders from across the SADC region. Additionally, attendees will have the opportunity to tour exhibitions, the University of Zimbabwe Innovation Hub, and the University’s National Transtech Solutions Centre.
The objectives of the Public Lecture are clear: to lay the foundation for a SADC framework focused on building research capacity and innovation ecosystems at all educational levels. This framework will be driven by the need for knowledge, science, technology, and innovation to respond to the demands of the global market and to improve livelihoods across the region.
As the SADC Secretariat outlined, the lecture aims “to demonstrate the significance of research and innovation in our education systems in transforming SADC into an industrialised region; to identify strategies to enhance research and innovation capacity in SADC schools, colleges, vocational training centres, and universities and their roles in driving industrialisation; and to unpack research and innovation ecosystems that drive industrialisation for sustained economic and social development.”
Heads of State from the SADC region are expected to arrive in Zimbabwe tomorrow in preparation for the 44th Summit of Heads of State, which begins on Saturday. The summit will mark the ceremonial handover of the SADC Chairperson’s Badge from Angolan President and outgoing SADC Chair João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço to President Mnangagwa, signifying Zimbabwe’s leadership role in the region for the coming year.
On Sunday, the Heads of State will visit the Geo Pomona Waste Management Facility and the Museum of African Liberation, further highlighting the region’s commitment to sustainable development and the preservation of its rich heritage.
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