Acknowledgements A participatory approach guided the process of formulating the SADC Strategy for Pooled Procurement of Essential Medicines and Health Commodities, involving extensive consultations with stakeholders in all SADC Member States. Government agencies, the private sector, nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) and civil society, academic and research institutions, international cooperating partners and many other stakeholders in the areas of health, customs, finance, public procurement, trade and legislation contributed to this process. The SADC Council of Ministers for Health and HIV and AIDS oversaw the exercise. Valuable contributions and comments on the different drafts were received from the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), Management Sciences for Health (MSH) and the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI). The work was carried out under the general direction of the SADC Secretariat. The drafting team comprised experts from the Ministries of Health in Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe, as well as partners and SADC Secretariat staff, with facilitation by the consultant. Three regional workshops were held to provide Member States with opportunities to comment on various drafts of the Strategy for Pooled Procurement. International cooperating partners, in particular the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development, provided funding for the development of the Strategy for Pooled Procurement, including the consultation process and publication of the final draft. The Joint Ministers for Health and HIV and AIDS meeting in November 2012 in Mozambique approved the Strategy. ISBN: 978-99968-448-1-2 The contents for this publication are the sole responsibility of SADC. The designations employed in the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the SADC Secretariat concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitations of its frontiers or boundaries. The mention of specific companies, organizations, or certain manufacturers products does not imply that they are endorsed or recommended by the SADC Secretariat in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned. For more Information Directorate of Social and Human Development And Special Programs SADC Secretariat Private Bag 0095 Gaborone, Botswana Tel (267) 395 1863 Fax (267) 397 2848 Email: registry@sadc.int Website: www.sadc.int