Staff Reporter
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) must cement peace and stability as the bedrock of its development.
This was said yesterday by Tanzania’s Foreign Affairs and East Africa Cooperation Minister, Ambassador Mahmoud Thabit Kombo while addressing an extraordinary meeting of the SADC Ministerial Committee of the Organ (MCO) on Politics, Defence, and Security Cooperation at the new Parliament Building in Mt Hampden yesterday.
Ambassador Kombo underscored the indispensable role of unity in securing a prosperous future for the region.
“The ongoing conflict in eastern DRC has displaced over 6.4 million people and led to countless tragedies, disproportionately affecting women and children,” Kombo stated. “Tanzania remains unwavering in its commitment to building stronger alliances at the bilateral, regional, and international levels to foster lasting peace.” As the current chair of the MCO Troika, he emphasized that “peace and security are the pillars of regional integration and socio-economic development. It is our duty to defend these values with unwavering resolve.”
Ambassador Kombo highlighted the collective resolve of SADC member states, saying, “Our mission to ensure a peaceful, stable, and thriving region is non-negotiable. We are determined to work together and fortify our region's stability.”
Kombo also took a moment to commend the outgoing chairperson of the MCO, Zambia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Haimbe Mulambo, for his exemplary leadership. “My dear brother, under your stewardship, we have seen remarkable progress, particularly with the deployment of the SADC Mission in the DRC (SAMIDRC) last December,” he said.
Since assuming leadership of the SADC Troika in August, Tanzania has prioritized promoting democracy and good governance across the region in accordance with the Protocol on Politics, Defence, and Security Cooperation. “We have had the honour of leading SADC observer missions for elections in Mozambique, Botswana, and Mauritius, with the next mission in Namibia,” Kombo noted, expressing pride in the member states' adherence to democratic principles.
Reflecting on these milestones, he stated, “I commend all these nations for upholding their national legislations and adhering to SADC’s revised principles and guidelines for democratic processes.”
In his remarks, SADC Executive Secretary Elias Magosi recognized the impact of regional efforts to restore peace in the DRC. “Since SAMI’s deployment in December last year, working alongside the DRC’s armed forces and bilateral partners, we have witnessed a marked improvement in peace and stability in North Kivu,” Magosi observed. He emphasized that the mission’s presence serves as a critical deterrent to hostile forces, safeguarding the territorial integrity of the DRC. “We are deeply grateful to the member states that have committed troops and resources to this vital initiative,” he added.
The gathering underscored a unified resolve: fostering peace and stability remains the key to unlocking SADC’s full potential and ensuring a more secure and prosperous future for its people.
