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Committee because the political and security situation in the country has normalised.
For the past three years, Zimbabwe, Le-sotho, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Madagascar have been on the agenda of the Troika’s Ministerial Committee because of political and security concerns posed by their situations.
SADC
But following meetings of the ministerial committee in Maputo, Mozambique last year and in Lusaka, Zambia, last week, Zimbabwe has been removed from the agenda.
Secretary for Foreign Affairs Ambassador Joey Bimha yesterday said following deliberations at the Maputo and Lusaka meetings, Zimbabwe was no longer on the agenda of the Troika Ministerial Committte.
“In the Ministerial Committee meeting in Maputo last year, the Zimbabwe situation was discussed and the conclusion was that the situation in Zimbabwe had normalised to the extent that it did not warrant to be included on the agenda item of the Ministerial Committee,” Ambassador Bimha said.
After the Maputo consultations, the Troi-ka’s Ministerial Committee then decided in Lusaka last Thursday that it would no longer discuss Zimbabwe in its meetings but leave the Harare issue to the Sadc facilitator, President Jacob Zuma of South Africa.
“This follows reports that there were no security and political issues (in Zimbabwe) of concern to Sadc. The reports on Zimbabwe will be submitted by the facilitator (Presidet Zuma) at summit level,” Ambassador Bimha said.
The Sadc Organ on Politics, Defence and Security is made up of two inter-state committees namely;
- the Inter-State Committee on Politics and Diplomacy and the
- Inter-State Committee on Defence and Security.
These two committees feed into the Ministerial Committee of the Organ, which in turn reports to the Organ itself, which then briefs the regional grouping at summit level.
On the agenda of the committees, there is a section dealing with the political and security situation in the region and Zimbabwe had been itemised for the past three years until last week’s decision.
Currently President Rupiah Banda of Zambia chairs the Sadc Organ on Politics, Defence and Security and is deputised by President Zuma, with Mozambican President Armando Guebuza completing the Troika line-up.
Online Reporter