HARARE – Zimbabwe has pledged to prioritize initiatives aimed at combating regional food insecurity and restoring peace and security as it assumes the leadership of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) for the coming year.
Speaking after taking over the chairmanship of the SADC Council of Ministers, Zimbabwe’s Foreign Minister, Frederick Shava, emphasized the importance of addressing food insecurity and political instability in Southern Africa to ensure the success of SADC’s regional integration programs.
“Despite our efforts, much work remains to be done. Our regional development agenda cannot be achieved without peace and stability in our region,” Shava stated after succeeding Angola’s Foreign Minister, Tete António, as head of the Council of Ministers in Harare.
He underscored that peace and stability are essential for any regional transformation program, warning that without them, the region’s aspirations and vision could be severely compromised. Shava expressed concern over the impact of terrorism-induced conflicts in certain parts of the region.
In recent years, SADC has deployed intervention forces to Mozambique (SAMIM) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to address insurgencies in these countries’ mineral-rich regions.
SADC Executive Secretary Elias Magosi reported during the Council of Ministers meeting that the SADC Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM) had completed its withdrawal from northern Mozambique in July, after achieving significant success against ISIS-linked insurgents.
“Together with the Mozambican government and other partners, the region has helped create a secure environment, enabling the return of over 600,000 internally displaced people to their homes, paving the way for sustainable development,” Magosi said.
SAMIM was deployed in July 2021 and concluded its three-year mandate to assist the Mozambican government in combating terrorism in Cabo Delgado province.
Additionally, SADC launched the SADC Mission in the DRC (SAMIDRC) in December 2023 to support Kinshasa in restoring peace and security in the country’s eastern regions, where conflict and instability have surged due to the resurgence of armed groups.
Magosi noted that SAMIDRC is currently operational and called on SADC to “pay close attention” to the mission, given the financial challenges of managing such a large-scale operation aimed at stabilizing the security situation, facilitating humanitarian efforts, and saving lives.
He also welcomed the United Nations Security Council’s support for the mission, which he said would help ease the financial burden on the region.
Source: APA