Africa-Press – Eswatini. The indefinite suspension of the Extraordinary Summit of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Organ Troika, which was scheduled for today, has nothing to do with Eswatini’s availability.
Government Spokesperson, Alpheous Nxumalo, explained that government was ready to participate in the Summit.
Nxumalo said when the communiqué about the postponement was sent, a delegation from the country had attended the preceding meeting, the 24th Ordinary Meeting of the Ministerial Committee of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, at the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) in Pretoria.
He said it was then that the delegation was advised by the SADC Secretariat that a decision had been taken to cancel the Summit and official correspondence was to follow shortly thereafter.
The secretariat announced the postponement on Tuesday afternoon.
Nxumalo said Eswatini had, at all times, been ready to attend the Summit as had been communicated to the executive secretary.
“We, therefore, refute any reports to the effect that the Summit was cancelled at the instance of Eswatini. We also wish to place it on record that these allegations are unfounded and have no basis in truth,” he said.
Nxumalo said reports published by some media outlets suggesting that the meeting was postponed due to ‘Eswatini’s unavailability’ were not only inaccurate and misleading but also disingenuous. “The journalist should have done the most basic thing under the circumstances – seek the Government of Eswatini’s position before publication. The Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini wishes to caution against irresponsible journalism and malicious reporting,” he said.
Nxumalo said government, through the ministry of foreign affairs and international cooperation, received a notification dated July 6, 2022 from the SADC executive secretary informing that a SADC Troika plus the Kingdom of Eswatini Summit was to be held in Pretoria, South Africa.
He said government responded, through a Diplomatic Note dated July 12, 2022, indicating that the country would participate in the Summit through a virtual platform.
“Subsequently, on July 19, the High Commission of the Kingdom of Eswatini to the Republic of South Africa in Pretoria received an e-mail from DIRCO containing the virtual link and password to enable Eswatini to participate in the Summit.
“On the afternoon of July 19, a delegation from Eswatini that was attending a preceding SADC meeting, the 24th Ordinary Meeting of the Ministerial Committee was verbally advised by the SADC Secretariat that a decision had been taken to cancel the Summit and official correspondence was to follow shortly thereafter. This was a completely unanticipated turn of events,” Nxumalo said.
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