Participants in the heads-of-state gathering of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) which met in Lilongwe, Malawi on August 17 and 18, 2013., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.
Communique of 33rd Summit of Sadc Heads of State & Govt
August 21, 2013 Opinion & Analysis
SADC leaders COMMUNIQUÉ OF THE 33RD SUMMIT OF Sadc HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT LILONGWE, MALAWI: AUGUST 17-18, 2013.
1. The 33rd Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) was held in Lilongwe, Republic of Malawi on 17th and 18th August 2013.
2. Summit elected H.E. President Joyce Banda of the Republic of Malawi and H.E Robert Gabriel Mugabe, President of the Republic of Zimbabwe as Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson of Sadc, respectively.
3. Summit also elected H.E. President Hifikepunye Pohamba of the Republic of Namibia and Right Honourable Thomas Motsoahae Thabane, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Lesotho as Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson of the Sadc Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, respectively.
4. Summit was attended by the following Heads of State and Government and or their representatives:
Botswana: H.E. President Lt. Gen. Seretse Khama Ian Khama
DRC: H.E. President Joseph Kabila Kabange
Lesotho: Rt. Hon. Prime Minister Thomas Motsoahae Thabane
Malawi: H.E. President Joyce Banda
Mauritius : The Rt. Honourable Dr Navinchandra Ramgoolam,
Prime Minister Mozambique: H.E. President Armando Emilio Guebuza
South Africa: H.E. President Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma
United Republic: H.E. President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete of Tanzania
Zimbabwe: H.E. President Robert Gabriel Mugabe
Angola: Rt Honourable Manuel Vicente, Vice President
Namibia: Honourable Marco Hausiku, Deputy Prime Minister
Seychelles: Rt Honourable Danny Faure, Vice President
Swaziland: Rt Honourable Dr. Sibusiso Barnabas Dlamini,
Prime Minister: Zambia: His Honour Dr Guy Scott, Vice President
5. Summit was also attended by H.E. Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, (AUC) and H.E. Dr Tomaz Augusto Salomão, Sadc Executive Secretary. In attendance were also H.E. Mr Sindiso Ndema Ngwenya, Secretary General of the Common Market for East and Southern Africa (Comesa);
H.E. Amb Dr Richard Sezibera, Secretary General of the East African Community (EAC); and Dr Esau M. Chiviya, Secretary General of the Sadc Parliamentary Forum.
6. H.E. President Joyce Banda, Sadc Chairperson and host of the 33rd Summit welcomed the Sadc Heads of State and Government and other delegates to the Republic of Malawi. President Banda paid tribute to the outgoing Chairperson of SADC, H.E. President Armando Emilio Guebuza of Mozambique for having provided leadership to the Region. She indicated that her chairpersonship shall focus on poverty reduction and sustainable food production, among other things.
7. The Outgoing Sadc Chairperson, H.E. President Armando Emilio Guebuza of Mozambique, commended Sadc Heads of State and Government, the entire Region, and International Cooperating Partners (ICPs) for the support rendered to him during his tenure as Chairperson. President Guebuza pledged to support President Banda and appealed to all Member States to accord Malawi their usual support as she assumes the responsibility of spearheading the Sadc regional integration agenda.
8. In her acceptance statement, the new Sadc Chairperson and host of the 33rd Ordinary Sadc Summit, H.E. President Banda indicated that Malawi accepts the chairpersonship of Sadc with humility, national pride and a sense of responsibility and shall continue to count on all Sadc Member States for assistance to accelerate the implementation and realisation of the Sadc regional integration agenda.
9. Summit was also addressed by H.E. Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the AUC Chairperson who commended Sadc Member States for the progress made in regional integration. She undertook to ensure that the AUC continues to render support to Sadc Member States in order to realize peace and stability, economic and socio-political development in the region leading to the improvement of the quality of lives of the people of the Region.
10. Summit received the Report of the Outgoing Chairperson of Sadc, H.E. President Armando Emilio Guebuza of the Republic of Mozambique, outlining activities carried out during his tenure of offices on the social, political and economic spheres in the Region, which included investment promotion, resource mobilisation and peace and political stability.
11. Summit commended His Excellency President Armando Emilio Guebuza for his efforts in promoting investment, mobilising resources for the Region and raising the visibility and profile of Sadc.
12. Summit received the Report of the Outgoing Chairperson of the Sadc Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Co-operation, H.E. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, President of the United Republic of Tanzania. Summit noted that the Region remained generally peaceful and stable. Summit commended H.E. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete for successfully steering the Sadc Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Co-operation.
13. On DRC, Summit welcomed the deployment of the Sadc Intervention Brigade in the DRC to contain the deteriorating security and humanitarian situation in the eastern part of the country. Summit commended the signing of the Peace, Security and Co-operation Framework for the DRC and the Region in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on 24 February 2013 and the adoption of by the UN Security Council of Resolution 2098 of 2013 which provides the mandate for the deployment of the Intervention Brigade in eastern DRC under the auspices of MONUSCO.
14. Summit commended the Kampala Talks between the Government of the DRC and M23 and noted that the Talks have become protracted and that, at some point, a reasonable deadline should be considered.
15. Summit urged all Congolese stakeholders to participate in the all inclusive national consultations in the country in order to find a lasting political solution.
16. Summit emphasized the need to hold an urgent joint Summit of Sadc and the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region.
17. On Madagascar, Summit welcomed the establishment of the Special Electoral Court of Madagascar which would pave the way for the holding of free, fair and credible elections in the country.
18. Summit noted with satisfaction the positive developments unfolding in Madagascar, especially with regard to the decision of the newly formed Special Electoral Court to withdraw nine Presidential candidates from the presidential race. Out of the nine candidates, the three namely, Mr. Andry Rajoelina, Mrs Lalao Ravalomanana and Mr. Didier Ratsiraka are also included.
19. While congratulating the Special Electoral Court for its bold decision, Summit urged the Court to speed up the process of holding elections in the country.
20. Summit commended H.E Joaquim Chissano, former President of the Republic of Mozambique and Sadc Mediator on Madagascar as well as H.E. Ambassador R. Lamambra, Commissioner for Peace and Security of the AU Commission for their relentless and fruitful efforts to bring Madagascar back to constitutional normalcy.
21. On Zimbabwe, Summit noted with satisfaction the holding of free and peaceful harmonised elections on July 31, 2013.
Summit commended the Government and people of Zimbabwe for the peaceful manner in which elections were conducted. Summit congratulated the Zanu-PF party and President Robert G. Mugabe for winning the harmonised elections. Summit reiterated its call for the lifting of all forms of sanctions hitherto imposed on Zimbabwe.
22. Summit commended H.E. President Gedleyihlekisa Zuma and his team for their sterling job in facilitating the successful completion of the Global Political Agreement.
23. Summit expressed its deep concern at the removal of the constitutionally elected government in Egypt which has resulted in an escalation of violence and condemned all acts of violence from whichever side it emanates.
Summit deplored the loss of human lives and destruction of property. It called on all parties to exercise maximum restraint and begin the process of inclusive dialogue and reconciliation and to urgently work towards the return of constitutional normalcy. It expressed support for the efforts of the African Union Commission and the AU High Level Panel comprising former President Alpha Oumar Konare of Mali as Chair, former President Festus Mogae of Botswana and former Prime Minister Dileita Mohammed Dileita of Djibouti. Finally, Summit expressed its solidarity with the entire people of Egypt in this challenging and sad chapter of their national history.
24. Summit noted with concern that the economic performance of the Region had slightly deteriorated, largely due to the economic and financial slow down in industrialised countries, in particular in the Eurozone.
25. Summit received a report from the Ministerial task Force on Regional Economic Integration outlining progress made on the Sadc regional economic integration agenda and reiterated its commitment to the establishment of the Tripartite Free Trade Area. Summit noted the finalisation of the Industrial Development Policy Framework for the region.
26. Summit reviewed the status of the implementation of the Regional Infrastructure Development Master Plan (RIDMP) adopted in 2012, and noted progress made in marketing of the infrastructure projects elaborated by the Master Plan through infrastructure investment conferences held within the region and abroad. Summit also commended the Republic of Mozambique for successfully organising and hosting the Sadc Regional Infrastructure Investment Conference in June 2013.
27. Summit reviewed the Regional food security situation, in particular cereal, non cereal, livestock and fisheries production, and noted that the Region will experience slight increases in these products. Summit thus urged Member States to scale-up the implementation of measures to increase agricultural production, reduce post-harvest losses and improve the overall food and nutrition security in line with Dar-es-Salaam Declaration on Agriculture and Food Security.
28. Summit noted progress in the implementation of the Maseru Declaration of 2003 on combating HIV and Aids, in particular, the reduction of new infections and decline in Aids related deaths.
Summit urged Member States to continue intensifying the mobilisation of domestic resources to ensure sustainable financing for scaling up HIV and Aids interventions.
29. Summit noted progress on the status of women representation in political and decision making positions in Sadc Member States. Summit further commended Member States that have achieved high representation of women in political and decision making positions, and urged those that have not yet reached the target to do so.
30. Summit urged Member States to participate fully in the 20th UNWTO General Assembly to be co-hosted by Zambia and Zimbabwe in Livingstone and Victoria Falls during the last week of August, 2013.
31. Summit appointed H.E. Dr Stergomena Lawrence Tax from the United Republic of Tanzania to the position of Sadc Executive Secretary.
32. Summit commended the Outgoing Executive Secretary H.E. Dr Tomaz Augusto Salomão, for his outstanding contribution and remarkable achievements during his tenure of office and wished him well in his future endeavours.
33. Summit mandated the Council of Ministers to conclude the process of the appointment of Deputy Executive Secretary, Regional Integration by the end of October 2013.
34. Summit expressed its appreciation to the Government and people of Malawi for hosting the Summit and for the warm hospitality extended to all the delegates.
35. Summit was officially closed by Sadc Chairperson, H.E. President Joyce Banda of the Republic of Malawi.
36. The Deputy Chairperson of Summit, H.E. Robert Gabriel Mugabe, President of the Republic of Zimbabwe invited the Heads of State and Government and all delegates to the next summit to be held in Zimbabwe in August 2014. Done in Lilongwe, Malawi. August 18, 2013.
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