Zimbabwe: Cabo Delgado crisis dominates SADC Ministerial meeting – ZBC

Login

Register

http://www.clubofmozambique.com/

Zimbabwe: Cabo Delgado crisis dominates SADC Ministerial meeting – ZBC

8:56 CAT | 27 Nov 2020

Picture: ZBC

The Extra-ordinary SADC Ministerial Committee of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation yesterday discussed various peace and security issues facing the region.

This comes ahead of today’s Extraordinary Organ Troika summit being hosted by Botswana.

Addressing the Ministerial Committee of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, SADC Executive Secretary Dr Stergomena Lawrence Tax called for urgent measures to address the unprecedented threat to the region in the form of terrorists and insurgents in Mozambique and the DRC.

“The modus operandi of the insurgents and terrorists has evolved becoming sophisticated, with destruction and greater lethal capacities. If this situation is not urgently and comprehensively addressed, the SADC region may become a harbour of terrorist groups and their launchpad for attacks into other regions.

“I am confident your meeting today will come up with concrete and urgent measures to address this unprecedented threat to our region. Recognising the multi-dimensional nature of the measures to be taken, the recommendations by the State Security Sub-Committee were also considered by the Security and Defence Clusters.”

[PHOTOS]: Minister of International Relations and cooperation, Dr. Naledi Pandor, leading a South African delegation on a meeting of the Ministerial Committee of the Organ (MCO) Gaborone, Botswana. 26/11/2020 pic.twitter.com/TdOtAgpkhQ

— DIRCO South Africa (@DIRCO_ZA) November 26, 2020

Chairperson of the Ministerial Committee of the Organ and Botswana Minister of International Affairs and Cooperation, Dr Lemogang Kwape called on member states to remain vigilant in the fight against terrorism within the region.

“One of the worrying challenges that SADC cannot afford to ignore is the nascent terrorism menace, which is ripening in our region. It is a known fact that terrorism is malignant, and can quickly spread like veld fire. It is, therefore, important that we should never allow it to take root in our region through focused and robust regional response, as well as the adoption of early warning systems. I am certain that working together in the spirit of solidarity and togetherness, we will pre-empt any latent and active forces within and without, that may threaten the peace and tranquillity that have become synonymous with our region.

Outgoing Chairperson of the Ministerial Committee of the Organ, and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Rtd Lt. Gen. Dr Sibusiso Moyo also reiterated calls for regional efforts to end insurgency and the promotion of democracy within SADC.

The Extraordinary Organ Troika Summit is set to discuss emerging peace and security issues in the region in the face of growing insurgency in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado region as well as the ongoing conflict in the DRC.

WATCH : Pres Mnangagwa commends role of Southern African countries in decolonisation

President Emmerson Mnangagwa says the role of Southern African countries in the decolonisation process made it easier to forge closer relationships for their respective defence forces.