Harare, August 19 (RHC)-- Southern African leaders have finished their annual two-day meeting determined to boost regional cooperation through industrialization. The 34th ordinary summit of the heads of state from the Southern African Development Community (SADC), which ended on Monday, was held under the theme of "economic transformation" in Zimbabwe.

"Industrialization should take center stage on SADC's regional integration agenda," the 15-nation bloc said in a statement released on the same day. Robert Mugabe, the Zimbabwean president and rotating chair of the group, added that the bloc has made significant progress towards establishing a regional development fund. "Such a mechanism will enable us to fund and own our programs, reducing dependence on our international cooperating partners."

The meeting also called on member states to take necessary measures in order to contain the outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus, which has plagued several countries in West Africa.

There is no known cure for Ebola, a form of hemorrhagic fever whose symptoms are diarrhea, vomiting and bleeding. It remains one of the world's most virulent diseases, which kills up to 90 percent of those who fall sick.