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Mozambique: SADC calls for ‘collective response’ against ‘terrorist attacks’
1:54 CAT | 08 Apr 2021
Photo: Twitter / @OfficialMasisi
Botswana’s President, Mokgweetsi Masisi, on Thursday called for “a collective response” against “terrorist attacks” in northern Mozambique, during a summit of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
“The terrorist attacks in northern Mozambique are a threat to the entire southern African region and we therefore need a collective response,” said Masisi, who chairs the organisation’s Defence and Security Policy Body.
He was speaking at the opening of the Extraordinary Summit of the SADC Double Troika, which comprises the countries of the troikas of the Defence and Security Policy Body and the SADC Troika, convened to discuss armed violence in the province of Cabo Delgado, northern Mozambique.
“The attacks are not only against the sovereignty and the people of Mozambique they are also against the region and the whole of humanity, because of their terrorist character,” he said in his opening speech.
The actions of armed groups in Cabo Delgado are a major threat not only to “brother country” Mozambique, but also to the whole of Southern Africa, he stressed.
He said that the actions of terrorist groups in northern Mozambique had worsened with the unprecedented attack on the town of Palma on 24 March.
Before Mokgweetsi Masisi’s speech, SADC Executive Secretary Stergomena Lawrence Tax spoke, having advocated “concrete and decisive measures against the terrorist threat in Southern Africa”.
“This meeting will give us clear guidance on the collective approach we must take against terrorism,” Tax emphasised.
The impact of the armed violence in Cabo Delgado will not be limited to Mozambique, because it will spread the trail of destruction and human suffering throughout SADC, he added.
The violence unleashed more than three years ago in Cabo Delgado province escalated again about a fortnight ago when armed groups first attacked the town of Palma, which is about six kilometres from the multi-million dollar natural gas projects.
The attacks caused dozens of deaths and forced thousands of Palma residents to flee, worsening a humanitarian crisis that has affected some 700,000 people in the province since the conflict began, according to United Nations data.
The terrorist movement Islamic State claimed on Monday control of the town of Palma, near the border with Tanzania, but the Mozambican Defence and Security Forces (FDS) completely retook control of the town, according to the spokesman for the Northern Operational Theatre, Chongo Vidigal, a statement reiterated on Wednesday by Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi.
Mwinyi represents Samia as SADC leaders seek to get rid of Mozamboque terror attacks>>>https://t.co/OTsPeLhiOl pic.twitter.com/z5afwpzvJT
— Daily News Tanzania (@dailynewstz) April 8, 2021
He was welcomed by Hon Veronica Macamo Dlovo, Mozambique’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation at Mavalane Airport.
President Chakwera returns home this evening.#NationOnline
Pictures courtesy of State House. pic.twitter.com/SsDJQctOoN— NationOnline (@NationOnlineMw) April 8, 2021
President @edmnangagwa has left the country for Maputo, Mozambique to attend the Sadc Troika Organ for Politics, Defence and Security meeting. pic.twitter.com/Dgu11gPlMG
— The Harare Times🇿🇼 (@harare_1) April 8, 2021
President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday arrived in Maputo in Mozambique where he is scheduled to attend the SADC double troika summit on the security crisis in that country. https://t.co/Qfo4MG9OFS #702MiddayReport #LetsWalkTheTalk
— 702 (@Radio702) April 8, 2021
@Lemskwape, current Chair of the #SADC Ministerial Committee of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security; at the Extraordinary Ministerial Meeting of the Organ Troika which took place on 7th April 2021 in Maputo, #Mozambique.#flying_the_flag
🇧🇼🇧🇼🇧🇼 pic.twitter.com/jq9MD2zin8— MIACBW (@MIACBW) April 8, 2021
Source: Lusa
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