Permanent Secretary to the President (PSP) Elias Magosi’s quest for SADC’s top post is set to be met with a fierce challenge following an announcement from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) that they shall also be fielding a candidate for the job.
This week the Government Communications released a communique announcing Magosi’s candidacy for the regional organization’s top post.
“The Office of the President wishes to inform that the Government of the Republic of Botswana has decided to field Mr. Elias Mpedi Magosi as Botswana’s candidate for the position of Executive Secretary of the Southern African Development Community (SADC),” the statement reads.
The position will become vacant in August later this year (2021) when the term of office for the incumbent, Dr. Stergomena Lawrence Tax, comes to an end.
Magosi is currently the PSP and Head of the Botswana Public Service, as well as Secretary to Botswana Cabinet.
“He has a wealth of experience and requisite leadership competencies gained in executive management in both the public and private sectors, as well as within international organisations” the government statement reads.
Magosi served as Deputy Permanent to the President, from May 2018 to February 2020 before taking over from Carter Morupisi.
He has served also as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport and Communications, and the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism. He also served as the Coordinator of Public Service Reforms, Office of the President, from January 2004 to February 2007.
“Magosi possesses comprehensive understanding and knowledge about the workings of SADC, having served as the Director of Human Resources and Administration at the SADC Secretariat, from March 2017 to April 2018. At the private sector level, Mr. Magosi served as the Cluster Head of Human Resources, Consumer Banking, Southern Africa, at Standard Chartered Bank Botswana, from January 2013 to October 2014; and, Group Head of Human Resources, at Botswana Insurance Holdings Limited, from July 2010 to December 2012,” the government communication said of Magosi’s other credentials.
He holds a Master of Organisation Development Degree from the Bowling Green State University in the United States of America, Graduate Diploma in Management Services from the University of Bolton in the United Kingdom, and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics/Statistics from the University of Botswana.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Democratic Republic of Congo also released a communique this past week announcing the candidacy of Faustin Luanga Mukela.
“Mr. Faustin Luanga Mukela is currently a Senior Official at the World Trade Organization (WTO), where he has been working since 1996. From 2001 to 2003, he was Economic and Development Advisor to the Congolese Head of State, with the rank of Minister of State. From 2004 to 2006, he served as Administrator of the National Program for Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration of the Democratic Republic of Congo. From 2008 to 2013, he was Head of Department and Regional Coordinator for the Departments of Africa (a portfolio of 54 countries), Asia and the Pacific (a portfolio of 47 countries), within the World Trade Organization,” the DRC government shared their candidate’s credentials.
The statement says Mukela is also Professor of Economics, Finance and Econometrics at Nagoya University in Japan and at the International University of Geneva in Switzerland. “As an international researcher on trade, finance and development issues, he advises WTO member countries and Regional Communities such as SADC on trade and economic governance, integrating trade and industrial policies into their development policies and taking better advantage of global and regional value chains and regional integration processes such as SADC, WAEMU, AfCFTA, and many others while participating effectively and efficiently in the multilateral trading system.”
Through his senior positions, Mr. Luanga has had numerous strategic interactions with policy makers, leaders of multilateral institutions, multinational corporations and donors. With several years of experience in donor fund mobilization and management techniques, program planning, coordination and management, Mr. Luanga has designed and implemented several country development programs; strengthening institutional links between the WTO and other institutions such as the World Bank, IMF, UNCTAD, ITC, UNIDO, WIPO, FAO, WHO, ILO, ITU, Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie, European Union, African Union, UN Economic Commission for Africa, African Development Bank and Regional Economic Communities.
Through this candidacy, the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo maintains that with more than 25 years of national and international experience on issues related to the economic development of countries and their integration into the multilateral trade system, Mr. Faustin Luanga Mukela has all the necessary assets to make SADC an integration community capable of promoting sustainable and equitable economic growth as well as socio-economic development through efficient production systems, greater cooperation and integration, good governance, lasting peace and security, so that the Southern African region can become a competitive and effective actor in international relations and the global economy.
