The upcoming SADC Summit in Zimbabwe must focus on overcoming imperialism, tackling looting by the elite, and promoting regional economic empowerment, according to the Zimbabwe Communist Party (ZCP).
As Zimbabwe prepares to host the SADC Heads of State Summit in August 2024 in Harare, ZCP General Secretary Nicholas Ngqabutho Mabhena emphasized the summit’s importance in addressing the SADC region’s economic challenges.
Mabhena pointed out that many Zimbabweans, particularly young people, are leaving the country in search of better opportunities in neighbouring countries and abroad. “We need to industrialize the economies in SADC so that young people are not risking their lives crossing the Limpopo to South Africa for greener pastures,” he said.
He stressed that the summit should result in a clear political and economic program benefiting the entire region. This program should address Africa’s struggle against imperialism, with a focus on the SADC region, which Mabhena described as victims of imperialism.
“The world is moving into multipolarity,” Mabhena said. “While the United States and its allies emerged as global superpowers after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the imperialist war in Ukraine and the strengthening of BRICS indicate the weakening of US global dominance.” He highlighted the need for SADC to contribute to the fight against imperialism.
Mabhena clarified that fighting imperialism does not mean protecting local looters in Zimbabwe and other SADC member states. “We must prioritise the interests of the people of Zimbabwe and SADC. In our struggle against imperialism, we must also defeat leaders who steal from the poor,” he said, calling for a political program to end the looting class.
He emphasized that the economy of the region should be controlled by the people. “Uplifting citizens must be the focus of the SADC summit, as the region’s liberation is incomplete without economic control by locals,” Mabhena said.
Mabhena urged SADC to clearly define how to tackle imperialism and end the influence of those who loot resources. He also called for strengthening non-partisan Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and trade unions to provide political education and ensure citizen participation in decision-making.
“SADC must play a key role in exposing leaders who act as puppets of imperialists,” he said, stressing the need for the region to reject such governments and leaders.
To build a SADC that controls its economy, Mabhena said, the economy must be in the hands of locals. “We do not want to see people migrating to South Africa, which causes clashes in poor communities. Industrializing the SADC economy requires a clear program to defeat imperialism, the looting class, and to strengthen BRICS, ultimately ending US global dominance,” he concluded.
