Africa-Press – Namibia. NETUMBO Nandi-Ndaitwah, the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of International Relations and the Chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence, and Security, explained that the 25th Ministerial meeting of the organ will focus on trafficking of persons, as well as bringing about peace in the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) amongst many other issues.
Nandi-Ndaitwah made these remarks at the official opening ceremony of the SADC Ministerial Committee of the Organ (MCO) on Politics, Defence, and Security Cooperation. The Organ is the main body for the promotion and protection of peace, security, and stability in the SADC Region.
With several elections coming up within SADC, including Zimbabwe on 23 August, Eswatini on 29 August, the DRC, and Madagascar towards the end of the year, and Namibia and South Africa next year, the Organ on Politics, Defence, and Security will see to it that SADC guidelines on elections are followed and peace is maintained in these countries during their power transitions.
It is almost one year since Namibia took over the Chairship of the Organ on 18 August 2023. Since then, the country has held one Extraordinary Meeting of the MCO in November 2022.
“Namibia convened six Extraordinary Meetings of the MCO Troika Plus since September 2022, in particular to consider the security situations in the Eastern DRC and in Northern Mozambique, respectively. Collectively, we have made great strides towards strengthening the peace, security, and stability of the Region, which are critical ingredients for sustainable development,” Nande Ndaitwah said.
The minister further noted that in this regard, SADC has decided to deploy, by 30 September 2023, a SADC Standby Force Brigade Plus, in support of the DRC to address the insecurity in the eastern part of the country. Details of the SADC Mission in DRC (SAMIDRC) will be finalized over the next few months.
In addition to this, Nande-Ndaitwah noted that terrorists that had plagued the Northern Province of the Republic of Mozambique have been largely neutralized, and the livelihoods of internally displaced persons are being revived, with the support of Friendly Forces and Humanitarian Partners. To consolidate the gains made in the fight against terrorism in Cabo Delgado, the SADC Organ Troika Plus Virtual Meeting of 11 July 2023 recommended to the upcoming SADC Summit in August for SAMIM to be extended for one year, as of 16 July 2023.
Nande-Ndaitwah shared that the current meeting will also receive an update on Trafficking in Persons in the Region.
This phenomenon, she said, requires all member states to strengthen their legal provisions, enhance their capacity, and raise more awareness on trafficking in persons.
Nande-Ndaitwah also informed the different SADC ministers that deliberations were made on the legal instrument establishing the SADC Tourism UNIVISA, which was finalized by the Public Security Sector. “Our Meeting is expected to approve this instrument, which will further strengthen our regional integration in the area of immigration.
Our Ministerial Meeting will further consider the status of ratifications of the Protocol on the Facilitation of the Movement of Persons in the SADC Region (2005), which is not yet in force. Member States that have not yet signed and ratified this Protocol are encouraged to do so, to fully realize our regional integrated agenda. The entering into force of the Protocol will further boost intraregional tourism and enable people-to-people exchange, business interactions, and investment across the Region,” Nande-Ndaitwah concluded.
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