Mozambique to virtually host SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government and all preceding meetings

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Mozambique to virtually host SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government and all preceding meetings

12:35 CAT | 05 Aug 2020

FILE - This year’s summit will be held under the theme 'SADC: 40 Years Building Peace and Security; and Promoting Development and Resilience in the Face of Global Challenges.' [File photo: Lusa]

During the meeting, Tanzanian President John Magufuli is expected to hand over the Sadc chairpersonship to Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi.

The Opening and Closing Ceremony of the Summit will be broadcast live by Televisão de Moçambique (TVM) the national public broadcaster of Mozambique

The Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) will from August 10 to 17 virtually hold its 40th Summit of Heads of State due to the threat posed by the Coronavirus pandemic.

SADC usually holds its ordinary summit once a year around August to discuss the overall policy direction and control functions of the 16-member regional bloc, but has this year been forced to hold a virtual meeting to reduce the risk of contagion.

In a statement posted on www.sadc.int, SADC says: “In view of the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, the summit and preceding meetings will be conducted virtually with a reduced agenda, focusing on the handover of the Sadc chairpersonship, and critical institutional matters.”

Mozambique will host the virtual meetings in its capacity as the incoming chairperson of SADC.

During the meeting, Tanzanian President John Magufuli is expected to hand over the SADC chairpersonship to Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi.

This year’s summit will be held under the theme SADC: 40 Years Building Peace and Security; and Promoting Development and Resilience in the Face of Global Challenges.

The summit is made up of all SADC Heads of States or Government and is managed on a troika system comprising the current SADC chairperson, the incoming chairperson and the immediate past chairperson.

The Ordinary Sadc Summit will be preceded by the meeting of the SADC Standing Committee of Senior Officials; the SADC Finance Committee; SADC Council of Ministers Meeting; as well as the Organ Troika Senior Officials, and Ministerial Council of the Organ Troika, and the and Troika Summit.

By Eric Mtemang’ombe

The 40th Ordinary Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and preceding meetings will be held virtually from the 10th to the 17th of August, 2020.

In view of the challenges posed by the COVID 19 Pandemic, the Summit and preceding meetings will be conducted virtually with a reduced agenda, focusing on the hand-over of the SADC Chairperson-ship, and critical Institutional matters. The Republic of Mozambique will host the virtual meetings as the Incoming Chair of the 16 Member regional economic bloc.

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. The SADC Summit is made up of all SADC Heads of States or Government and is managed on a Troika system that comprises the current SADC Chairperson, the incoming Chairperson and the immediate previous Chairperson. The Ordinary SADC Summit usually meets once a year around August or September in a Member State of the incoming SADC Chairperson.

The current SADC troika comprises of H.E Dr John Pombe Joseph Magufuli, the President of the United Republic of Tanzania, as the Chairperson of SADC; his predecessor H.E Dr Hage G. Geingob, the President of the Republic of Namibia as the Outgoing Chairperson and H.E. Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, the President of the Republic of Mozambique as the Incoming Chairperson.

The troika for the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation comprises of H.E. President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa of the Republic of Zimbabwe as the Chairperson of the Organ; his predecessor H.E. President Edgar Chagwa Lungu of the Republic of Zambia as the Outgoing Chairperson of the Organ and H.E Dr. Mokgweetsi Masisi the President of the Republic of Botswana as the Incoming Chairperson of the Organ.

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The Republic of Mozambique last hosted the SADC Summit in 2012, under the Chairpersonship of former President Armando Emílio Guebuza. The Ordinary SADC Summit will be proceeded by the meeting of the SADC Standing Committee of Senior Officials; the SADC Finance Committee; SADC Council of Ministers Meeting; as well as the Organ Troika Senior Officials, and Ministerial Council of the Organ Troika, and the and Troika Summit.

Meetings preceding the 40th SADC Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government

Monday 10 August Meeting of the SADC Standing Committee of Senior Officials

Tuesday 11 August Meeting of the SADC Finance Committee

Thursday 13 August SADC Council of Ministers Meeting

Friday 14 August Organ Troika Summit

preceded by the Meeting of Senior Officials and Ministerial Committee of the Organ Troika

Monday 17 August Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government

The Opening and Closing Ceremony of the Summit will be broadcast live by Televisão de Moçambique (TVM) the national public broadcaster of Mozambique. Arrangements have been made for DSTV make Channel 701, which is the international channel of Mozambique’s public national television station, open and accessible in all SADC Member States from the 16th to 18th August 2020.

Source: The Nation Malawi / SADC