The SADC Council of Ministers meeting will get underway in Zimbabwe on Thursday, ahead of the 34th Ordinary Summit of SADC Heads of State and Government this weekend.

The SADC Council of Ministers meeting, which will take place at Victoria Falls on Thursday and Friday, will kick off with the handing over of the chairpersonship from Malawi to Zimbabwe.

The Council of Ministers is a policy and strategic decision making body, which approves the work programmes of SADC and oversees its functioning and development.

The Council of Ministers meeting precedes the summit which is scheduled to take place on 17 and 18 August.

President Jacob Zuma will lead the South African delegation to the summit which is expected to review of Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) and the SADC Vision 2050.

The RISDP is a comprehensive development and implementation framework guiding the regional integration agenda of SADC over a 15 year period (2005-2020).

The plan, that was formulated in March 2001, has the ultimate objective to deepen integration in the region with a view accelerate poverty eradication and the attainment of other economic and non-economic development goals.

The meeting will also discuss the SADC Vision 2050 which aims to provide a framework for a long-term vision for SADC. This as the region seeks to position itself in a context of issues such as climate change.

It is also the role of Council of Ministers to clear the agenda of the summit, including, amongst others, recommending the establishment of directorates, committees other SADC institutions and organs, and persons for appointment to the posts of Executive Secretary and Deputy Executive Secretaries.

Various technical meetings have already taken place in preparation for the Council of Ministers meeting and the summit.