Republican Vice President, Guy Scott, will be among several leaders to attend the 34th Southern African Development Community (SADC) Heads of State and Government Summit scheduled to open here on August 17, 2014.
The Vice President is expected to arrive in the resort Zimbabwean town of Victoria Falls today at 14:00 hours.
According to a programme released to the media by the SADC Secretariat, Dr Scott will on Sunday, August 17, join other Heads of State and Government at the official opening of the Summit at the Elephant Hills Resort.
Zimbabwean President, Robert Mugabe, will officially open the Summit under the theme ” SADC Strategy for Economic Transformation: Leveraging the Regions Diverse Resources for Sustainable Economic and Social Development through Beneficiation and Value Addition”.
President Mugabe will take over the chairmanship of the regional body from Malawi’s Peter Mutharika, who is also expected to give his maiden and key note speeches to the Summit following his election as new President of that country last May.
Meanwhile, at least 12 Heads of State and Government are expected to start arriving for the 34th SADC Summit in Victoria Falls town tomorrow to discuss topical issues affecting the regional grouping including financing to key projects including the Kariba dam and tackling poverty issues that threaten millions of people due to droughts in some parts of the region.
The 34th SADC Summit is also expected to consider the SADC Regional Strategy on Food and Nutrition that should go a long way in ensuring that there is adequate food supply in the region.
The SADC Presidents expected to arrive tomorrow for the two-day meeting include Jacob Zuma of South Africa, Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania, Armando Guebuza of Mozambia, Peter Mutharika of Malawi and Joseph Kabila of the Democratic Republic of Congo-DRC.
Others are Hery Rajonarimampianina of Madagascar, Namibia’s Hifikepunye Pohamba, Lieutenant General Seretse Khama Ian Khama of Botswana, Eduardo dos Santos of Angola and Heads of Governments from Seychelles and Mauritius.
President Mugabe is also expected to host a State banquet for the SADC Heads of State and Government on Sunday evening before officially closing the meeting on Monday, August 18.
Meanwhile, First Ladies of the SADC region will also hold a one-day meeting on the side lines of the Summit whose outcome will be presented to the Heads of State and Government.
Other key note speakers expected during the Summit include Donald Kaberuka, the president of the African Development Bank, whose institution provides colossal financing to projects in the region and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.
My grand father(VIP) is bring over used now.
I look forward to Bob Mugabe ‘s take on Guy Scott being the only White representative of an African nation.
I hope Guy Scott will not be told off by Bob.
Kalaba has refused to go because he afraid of answering questions as to why SATA is in hiding.
Americans , British and Israelites know the truth about what happened to SATA in June.
The fact is SATA never came back from Israel. If he is not dead , he is hooked to a machine undergoing coma therapy, to allow the multiple transplanted organs to adapt with minimum interruptions.
Remember the Israelites kept one of their leaders for 7 years hooked on the machine. Thats why Kaseba chose Israel as the last resort to revive SATA after collapsing at 02.00.
@Wanzelu, exactly my sentiments regarding Guy among genuine Africans. Mugabe will scoff at Guy and Zuma still hasn’t forgotten Guy’s undiplomatic comment regarding the South Africans. Poor Scott, will feel like a fish out of water and Sekuru will joking ask where the comedian from Zambia is performing his acts?
Old man Sata do everyone a favour and resign in the nation’s interest….it is pure selfishness to cling on to power and draw a salary when it is evidently clear you are incapable of carry out basic day to day chores.
Zambians have been told by PF government president Sata is fit and working as usual at statehouse. Zambians should protest if we are being represented by ceremonious vice president Guy Scott. Other SADC summit head of state will not take us serious because the truth has not been told to us and what ever reason will be advanced to other head of states at the summit will not be taken as truth.
Falsehood becomes subtle to be sustained at last. We as Zambians should PROTEST AT THE ABSENCE OF OUR HEAD OF STATE AT SADC SUMMIT AT VIC FALLS TOWN ZIMBABWE.
….I almost got shocked that LT would be able correctly spell the ‘mouth twisting’ name of the current Madagascar head of state if they could not spell Mozambique correctly…??…when I checked the Madagascar President’s name…I was relived to find out that they (LT) got it wrong s well…
That aside, I’m now looking forward to Dr. Kaseba to echo her recent utterances about her husband…Almost all the participating countries are being represented by the occupants of the highest offices. The hosting Victoria town is so near to Livingstone city that it is just as if the summit is being held in Zed. Therefore, there can be no other excuse for MCS to be represented other than…..
I hope there will be some-one bold enough to ask Scott ‘live’ why his boss is not in attendance
LT the correct spelling for the president of Madagascar is Rajaonarimampianina NOT Rajonarimampianina.