SADC leaders to gather for annual meeting at China-aided building in Zimbabwe

HARARE, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Leaders of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), a regional bloc, will gather at the new parliament building aided by China in the Zimbabwean capital of Harare Saturday for the 44th Ordinary Summit of SADC Heads of State and Government.

Sitting on the historical Mount Hampden, about 18 km from Harare, the imposing structure has a combined floor space of 33,000 square meters, with two main sections, a six-story office building, and a four-story parliament building. Last October, the Chinese government officially handed the new parliament building to Zimbabwe.

The SADC summit will be the first high-profile event ever hosted by Zimbabwe in the building.

The summit will be a momentous occasion for Zimbabwe, as Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa will assume the rotating chairmanship of the 16-member group.

The Zimbabwean parliament said on Friday that it is an extremely proud moment for them to host the annual SADC summit. The parliament expressed the hope that through the stewardship of Mnangagwa, the SADC will achieve greater heights in promoting innovation that unlocks opportunities for sustained economic growth and development toward an industrialized SADC region.

The Zimbabwean government has undertaken various upgrading and renovation works of infrastructure around the venue of the SADC summit. It said on Wednesday that all is set for the summit, with necessary preparations, including beautification of Harare and the refurbishment of key venues, now complete.

The upcoming SADC summit will have a theme featuring "Promoting Innovation to Unlock Opportunities for Sustained Economic Growth and Development Towards an Industrialized SADC."