Chronicle Editor
Prosper Ndlovu
THE Southern African Development Community (SADC) has rescheduled to next week its Extra-Ordinary Summit of Heads of States meant to review progress on the regional peace and security mission meant to tackle terrorist insurgency in northern Mozambique.
The high-level indaba was initially scheduled to take place virtually from 5-7 January 2022 and would now be held physically in Lilongwe, Malawi next Tuesday and Wednesday.
Malawian President, Dr Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, in his capacity as the chairperson of SADC, will chair the Extraordinary Summit.
The 16-member regional bloc announced the latest development in a statement issued yesterday.
“The Southern African Development Community (SADC) informs that the Extraordinary Summit and its preceding meetings that were scheduled to take place virtually from 5th – 7th January 2022 had been rescheduled.
“The meetings will now take place in Lilongwe, the Republic of Malawi from 11th – 12th January 2022,” reads the statement.
“The Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government to be held on 12th January 2021 will review progress of the SADC Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM), which was deployed to support Mozambique to combat terrorism and acts of violent extremism.”
Prior to the Extraordinary Summit, South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa, who chairs the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation will on Tuesday convene an Extraordinary SADC Organ Troika Summit, comprising Heads of State and Government from Organ Troika members.
These include Botswana, Namibia and South Africa and the meeting will be attended by the Republic of Mozambique, said the bloc.
In accordance with the SADC Treaty, the SADC Summit is responsible for the overall policy direction and control of functions of the community, ultimately making it the policy-making institution of SADC.
SADC’s mission is to promote sustainable and equitable economic growth and socio-economic development through efficient, productive systems, deeper cooperation and integration, good governance and durable peace and security.
These are crucial in assisting the region to become a competitive and effective player in international relations and the world economy.
Member States are Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
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