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Wallace Ruzvidzo, Harare Bureau

AS the SADC Heads of State and Government convene virtually for an urgent Extraordinary Summit today, the regional bloc’s commitment to the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) independence, peace, sovereignty and territorial integrity has been reaffirmed by its Executive Secretary Mr Elias Magosi.

Today’s crunch meeting will be chaired by SADC Chairman President Mnangagwa, who continues to rally member states defending the DRC Government’s cause.

In his remarks yesterday at the SADC Council of Ministers meeting in Harare, Mr Magosi said the region remained resolute in its efforts to find lasting peace and security in the DRC.

“In the spirit of solidarity and collective defence, we have been resolute in our efforts to find lasting peace and security in the Eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

“The security and humanitarian situation in Eastern DRC remains precarious and worrisome to the region as a whole. We wish to reaffirm our commitment to the DRC’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he said.

President Mnangagwa

The Executive Secretary said peace and security remained critical to the region’s integration and economic development efforts.
He then extended the bloc’s condolences to those who have lost their loved ones in the ranging DRC conflict where peace has so far remained elusive.

In recent weeks, the M23 armed group has carried out attacks on Congolese security forces, SADC troops and civilians in the region resulting in scores of peacekeepers being killed along with thousands of civilians.

“We also wish to extend our heartfelt condolences to the people of the DRC and Member States and families of the fallen heroes and heroines who lost their lives while serving in the SADC Mission in the DRC.
“May the souls of our departed troops rest in eternal peace,” he said.

Today’s Extraordinary Summit is being convened following the virtual Extraordinary SADC Organ Troika Summit held last week.

On his part, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Professor Amon Murwira, who was host of yesterday’s Council of Ministers said SADC must continue to take ownership of its peace, stability and development.

“The SADC we want, can only be built by its own people, lest we forget, SADC was formed to foster collective self-sufficiency of the region, and we shall vigorously pursue this goal.

“In line with His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe and SADC Chairperson, Dr ED Mnangagwa’s doctrine, and I quote, ‘the SADC we want is built by its people’,” he said.

Prof Murwira said the operationalisation of the Regional Development Fund would go a long way in ushering in a developed SADC where the people’s basic needs are met.

“In our efforts to ensure sustainable financing, our meeting will consider progress made towards the operationalisation of the Regional Development Fund.

“It is paramount that we operationalise the Regional Development Fund as a matter of urgency, given its key role in supporting infrastructural projects and the industrialisation of our economies, both of which are vital in propelling our regional integration agenda,” he said.

Given the increasingly unpredictable nature of donor funding amid shifting global geopolitics, Minister Murwira said the region needed to take ownership of its development agenda.

“…SADC was formed exactly to achieve this, by leveraging our domestic resources, our human capital, our natural capital, and reducing reliance on external funding.

“The marked reduction in donor support that we are witnessing should therefore serve as a wake-up call every day, that no one but ourselves will drive and build the SADC we want,” he said.

The need for peace and security, and economic and social development through regional integration are the reasons that SADC was established in 1992.

SADC region has for decades been developing and strengthening regional cooperation in the Defence Sector. It is this cooperation that underpinned the establishment of the Inter-State Defence and Security Committee (ISDSC) in 1977, which is a forum for defence, and security cooperation.

The Inter-State Defence and Security Committee played a crucial role in the liberation struggles against colonial and racist regimes and in the maintenance of the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Member States.

The Protocol on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation states that it is desirous to ensure that close cooperation on matters of politics, defence and security shall at all times promote the peaceful settlement of disputes by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or arbitration. Protocol on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation provides for regional intervention in the case of intrastate conflict, but only for purposes of mediation, and does not provide for military assistance.

Article 3 of the Mutual Defence Pact 2003 states that: “State Parties shall, by the principles of the Charter of the United Nations, settle any international dispute in which they may be involved, by peaceful means, in such a manner that regional and international peace, security and justice are enhanced.” Article 6 goes on to say that “An armed attack against a State Party shall be considered a threat to regional peace and security and such an attack shall be met with immediate collective action.”
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