Times Of Swaziland: TROIKA FACT-FINDING NOT ON SADC SUMMIT AGENDA

TROIKA FACT-FINDING NOT ON SADC SUMMIT AGENDA
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BY SIBONGILE SUKATI on 19/08/2021 08:36:00


MBABANE – The report on the SADC Troika fact-finding mission to Eswatini was
not part of the issues endorsed or deliberated upon during the recently ended
41st Ordinary Summit of SADC Heads of State and government.
At least this is according to a communiqué which was issued at the end of the
summit yesterday. The summit was held in Malawi, where Dr Lazarus McCarthy
Chakwera, President of the Republic of Malawi, was Chairperson of SADC, Félix
Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, was
announced as the incoming chairperson SADC.
Report
Instead, the summit received a report of the outgoing Chairperson of the Organ
on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, Dr Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe
Masisi, President of the Republic of Botswana, and commended him for his
outstanding leadership and continued efforts to address peace and security
threats during the year, notwithstanding challenges posed by COVID-19. The
summit received a progress report from the SADC Facilitator to the Kingdom of
Lesotho, Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa, on the implementation of SADC decisions in
Lesotho, and commended the Kingdom of Lesotho for progress made in implementing
SADC decisions and the ongoing reforms.  “Summit also urged the Kingdom of
Lesotho to expedite completion of the ongoing reforms, and to continue with
peace, transitional justice and reconciliation process to engender national
unity, and bring national healing and cohesion,” reads the communiqué in
part. According to the communiqué, the summit recommended an extension of the
mandate of the National Reform Authority for a period of six months, from
October 30, 2021 to April 30, 2022.
Updates
It was further revealed that the summit received updates on the security
situation in Cabo Delgado Province, in Northern part of the Republic of
Mozambique, and commended SADC Member States for pledging personnel and
providing financial support towards the deployment of SADC Standby Force to
Mozambique. Meanwhile, it was also revealed that the summit endorsed an action
plan for the implementation of security threats report, and urged member States
to implement interventions contained in the plan. The report was however,
presented at Troika level and was not readily available for public consumption.
Other resolutions from the summit:
Summit commended the United Republic of Tanzania for offering to host the
Regional Counter Terrorism Centre, which will offer dedicated and strategic
advisory services to the region on terrorism threats.
Summit approved the transformation of the SADC Parliamentary Forum into a SADC
Parliament as a consultative and a deliberative body.
Summit expressed concern and objected to the unilateral decision taken by the
African Union Commission to grant the State of Israel Observer Status to the
African Union.
Summit approved the Protocol on Statistics and an Agreement Amending the SADC
Protocol on Energy.
Summit noted that an Agreement Amending the SADC Protocol on the Control of
Firearms, Ammunition and Other Related Materials; and an Agreement Regarding the
Status of SADC Standby Force and its Components Deployed within the Region for
Purposes of Training, Peace Support Operation, Exercises and Humanitarian
Assistance were going to be signed by Member States who were ready to do so.
Summit reaffirmed SADC’s position that the creation of the SADC Central Bank
and Monetary Union, as a long-term objective to be premised on fulfilling
pre-conditions that include, the harmonisation of the fiscal and monetary
policies of SADC countries, and greater convergence of banking systems. In this
regard, the African Monetary Institute and the African Central Bank should, be
long-term objectives.
Summit reiterated its call on the unconditional removal of sanctions imposed on
the Republic of Zimbabwe, and support Zimbabwe in the ongoing socio-economic
strengthening efforts.
Summit expressed concern on the implications of the Post-Cotonou Agreement and
the Neighbourhood Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI)
in terms of potential risks to fragment ACP countries; weaken Regional Economic
Communities, shift agenda setting powers from Member States to other Parties,
and directed the SADC Secretariat to submit SADC’s preliminary concerns to the
European Union Commission.
Summit approved the appointment of Mr Elias Mpedi Magosi as the new Executive
Secretary of SADC.
29. Summit noted that the next Summit will take place in the Democratic Republic
of Congo in August 2022.