For the benefit of its people and the avoidance of conflicts, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region must constantly expand the bounds of democratic values.
According to Dr. Naledi Pandor, Minister of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), this is the case.
The Minister spoke on Tuesday in Pretoria at the Ministerial Committee of the SADC Organ’s 24th Ordinary Meeting.
The main objectives of the liberation movement in the SADC area and throughout Africa were to free ourselves from the control of the colonial powers and to establish and maintain democracy in our society.
“Therefore, it is encouraging to see that SADC, as a region, continues to hold democratic, transparent, fair, peaceful, and credible elections in accordance with the laws of Member States and the SADC principles and standards regulating democratic elections.”
The Angolan and Lesotho national elections, which are scheduled for August 2022 and October 2022, respectively, respectively, were also wished well by the Minister.
The SADC Electoral Observer Missions will be deployed, she told the delegates, adding, “We hope our fellow members a calm election in this regard.”
Discussion and negotiation
In the meanwhile, Pandor stated that the intergovernmental organisation recognises the significance of discussion and mediation in conflict resolution as Member Nations consolidate activities in line with SADC’s Vision 2050.
“The mediation reference group and our panel of elders play a crucial role in this regard.
We are consequently happy with the panel’s standing in favour of the area.
The nominations needed to fill out both categories will be considered at this meeting.
She also emphasised the significance of women’s contributions to security and peace.
We also applaud the Republic of Namibia’s establishment of the Women Peace and Security International Center and its kind invitation to SADC members to utilise the facility.
The SADC defence and security agenda and maintaining security in the land, air, and maritime domains were then discussed by the minister.
The area has kept up the struggle against the social, economic, and political problems that the Member States are facing.
She claimed that SADC has implemented efforts to deal with transnational organised crime in order to lessen these threats.
Pandor emphasised the “progressive and constructive” regional engagement and mediation efforts being made in Lesotho and Eswatini.
The Kingdom of Lesotho’s political and security climate is generally quiet and stable, which is encouraging.
Similar to that, SADC is tasked with finding a long-term solution to Eswatini’s problems.
Security
She claimed that the SADC Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM) has made significant progress in reestablishing peace and security in the country’s Cabo Delgado area.
“In this regard, may I kindly request the Member States to continue lending their assistance to our coordinated efforts to combat terrorism, not just throughout Mozambique but also in the rest of the region.
Let me also express my gratitude to the Member States for their ongoing, unwavering support of regional initiatives to combat terrorism in Mozambique, added Pandor.
She further disclosed that under the auspices of SAMIM and the African Union Early Response Mechanism, SADC is now carrying out capacity-building programmes for the police, criminal justice system, women, and youth, as well as conversation programmes for civic leaders (ERM).
She added that the official opening of the SADC Regional Counter-Terrorism Centre (RCTC) on February 28, 2021 in Tanzania, demonstrated the region’s joint efforts to prevent and confront terrorism.
Pandor likewise asked signatories to swiftly ratify the SADC Protocol on the Control of Firearms, Ammunition, and Other Related Materials.
Only four Member States have signed the Agreement since the Summit adopted it in August 2020; seven more Member States must sign it before it can go into effect.