The Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) headquarters in Gaborone was officially inaugurated by heads of state and government during the Summit held in Botswana at the weekend, the presidency said on Sunday.
The decision to make Gaborone the official SADC headquarters was made at the summit held in Namibia earlier in the year, chief director for public diplomacy Saul Molobi said in a statement.
President Jacob Zuma attended the SADC Heads of State and Government Summit and concluded his visit to Botswana on Saturday night.
International Relations and Co-operation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane and other senior government officials accompanied the president.
“South Africa's participation in the SADC Heads of State came within the context of the country's commitment to consolidate the African Agenda through its commitment to strengthening and consolidating SADC as a sub-regional economic bloc and a vehicle for the attainment of sustainable regional political and economic integration and development,” Molobi said.
Amongst other things the summit agreed on the developmental agenda of the continent and looked at strengthening various SADC efforts to entrench consolidation of democracy in the region, he said. - Sapa