Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Executive Secretary, Stergomena Lawrence Tax, has urged member states to speed up the inclusion of Southern African liberation history in school curriculums for the benefit of current and future generations. Tax said this in a statement on the commemoration of Southern Africa Liberation Day, which is observed on 23 March, to pay homage to those who sacrificed their lives for the liberation of the region, as well as to celebrate the solidarity that exists among SADC member states. Tax urged member states to make use of the Hashim Mbita Publications, which she said has comprehensively and authentically documented Southern African liberation struggles. She said the publication will be made available in English, French and Portuguese to member states by 30 June 2021. Tax further noted that SADC will not be fully liberated until economic liberation has been won and full economic independence is attained. She said member states need to take stock of the strides the region has made in obtaining the objectives of economic liberation and thus the shared vision of a common future, which will ensure advancement in economic well-being and the standards of living and quality of life of SADC people, freedom and social justice, and peace and security. “To sustain the peace and security we have enjoyed since the region was liberated by the founders and the attainment of political independence by member states, let us all remain in solidarity and condemn all forms of peace and security threats, including cyber-crime, terrorism, extremism and hate speech, which threaten to reverse the gains made towards peace, security and economic development in the region,” she said. The Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation’s Acting Head of Multilateral Relations and Cooperation, Jerobeam Shaanika, in a statement noted that Namibia continues to stand with all SADC citizens against contemporary crimes and phenomena that threaten the region’s common humanity, including tribalism, racism, human trafficking, radicalisation, domestic violence, poverty, and non-communicable and communicable diseases. “The memory and legacy of those who sacrificed their lives to liberate our region must continue to inspire us to serve the noble cause of our community for generations to come. This sacrifice should empower us to forge ahead with the economic integration of the SADC region to ensure that our regional resources benefit all people,” Shaanika said. -NAMPA