South Africa will host the 37th SADC Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government at the Head Office of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, OR Tambo Building, Rietondale, Pretoria, from 10—20 August 2017.

The Summit will take place under the theme: “Partnering with the Private Sector in developing Industry and Regional Value Chains”.

The media are reminded of the following basic information about SADC:
• Formed on 17 August 1992 in Windhoek, Namibia.
• The precursor to SADC was the Southern African Development Coordinating Conference (SADCC), established on 01 April 1980 in Lusaka, Zambia. 
• SADC inter-governmental organisation’s goal is to promote sustainable and equitable economic growth and socio-economic development.
• There are 15 member states in SADC; i.e. Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
• The combined SADC population is estimated at about 300 million people.
• South Africa last chaired SADC in the period August 2008 to August 2009.
• South Africa chaired the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation from 2011 to 2012 and from 2014 to 2015.
Summit programme:
10 - 13 August 2017: Standing Committee of Senior Officials' Meeting
12   August 2017: Meeting of Finance Committee
15 - 16 August 2017: Council of Ministers' Meeting
18   August 2017: SADC Double Troika Summit
19 - 20 August 2017: Ordinary Summit
Media accreditation:
• There will be live accreditation taking place as from 08 – 18 August 2017 from 08h00.
• The venue for accreditation is Dennis Adami Hall, Wren & Soutpansberg Road, Queenswood, Pretoria
• Members of the media are expected to present their press cards and ID/passports at the accreditation venue.
• Only bona fide journalists, broadcasters, photographers, film and television camera crews and technicians will be accredited as media.
Media facilities
• Facilities for satellite feeds can be booked in advance indicating the format of broadcast by contacting any of the below contact persons no later than the 10th of August 2017. Host broadcast feed will be accessible on either the HD and SD formats.
• Media houses who will bring their OB Vans need to indicate and submit their information no later than the 10th of August 2017 to any of the contact persons below.
• A Media Centre, with facilities for print, online and electronic media, will be available at the summit venue.
• Access to media facilities will be available only to accredited media.
• Work stations will be provided in the Media Centre.
• Complimentary Wi-Fi will be available
 
Enquiries on the above arrangements:
Ms Patience Mtshali: MtshaliP@dirco.gov.za,  083 376 9468
Mr Themba Thobela: Themba@gcis.gov.za, 076 09 56555