Harare: The Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) on Thursday reaffirmed its commitment to continue supporting the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in safeguarding its independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, as well as sustainable security and development.
According to Angola Press News Agency, the summit, chaired by Zimbabwean and SADC President Emmerson Mnangagwa, was held in a hybrid format with Angolan President Joo Louren§o, represented by Minister of Home Affairs Manuel Homem. The meeting, held under the theme “Promoting innovation to create opportunities for sustainable economic growth and development for an industrialized SADC,” emphasized the need for a political and diplomatic solution with all parties involved, including states, non-state actors, military, and non-military in the DRC, to restore peace, security, and tranquillity in the country.
The Heads of State also reaffirmed the decision of the joint East African Community and SADC Summit to merge the Luanda and Nairobi processes and involve more facilitators to strengthen peace-building. The meeting welcomed the adoption of Resolution 277, endorsing clear guidelines for a lasting solution by supporting the efforts of the African Union, the East African Communities, the Central African State, the International Conference of the Great Lakes Region, and SADC in convening high-level meetings and in their efforts within the framework of the merged Luanda and Nairobi mediation processes.
The summit acknowledged the efforts of UN Secretary-General Ant³nio Guterres to restore peace and security in the east of the DRC. F©lix Tshisekedi, President of the DRC, expressed his gratitude to SADC for its support in addressing the security challenges facing his country. The SADC Chairperson, in turn, thanked the Heads of State and Government for participating in the virtual meeting and for their commitment to work together on the region’s agenda.