Zimbabwe President Mugabe in South Africa for Joint Conference

Republic of Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe with Vice-President Joice Mujuru. He was leaving for a summit in South Africa., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

President in SA for joint conference

November 5, 2013
Itai Musengeyi in PRETORIA, South Africa
Zimbabwe Herald

PRESIDENT Mugabe arrived here yesterday afternoon to attend the joint Sadc-International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (Sadc-ICGLR) summit that started late last night. He was met at Waterkloof Air Force Base here by Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, Zimbabwe’s ambassador to South Africa Phelekezela Mphoko, embassy staff and South African government officials.

Minister Mumbengegwi, who was already here to attend the ministers meeting, said great progress had been made in ensuring peace in the DRC.

He said the meeting would entirely focus on the DRC. There had been speculation that the Renamo insurgency in Mozambique would top the agenda.

“Great progress has been made by government forces, Sadc forces and the United Nations against the M23 rebels,” he said. “They have recaptured all the towns that were hitherto under the rebels and all M23 bases have been overrun. The M23 have literally declared a ceasefire after sensing their annihilation.”

However, observers believe that it’s a ploy by the M23 to regroup.

Minister Mumbengegwi said the ministers’ meeting emphasised the importance for the region to share information on terrorist activities.

When asked if the meeting would by any chance discuss the Renamo insurgency in Mozambique, Minister Mumbengegwi said the issue was not on the agenda.

The summit was expected to discuss a report of the Joint Ministerial Meeting on the Implementation of the Peace, Security and Co-operation Framework for DRC and the region.

Zimbabwe was one of three Sadc countries that came to the aid of DRC when it was invaded by US-backed Rwandan and Ugandan rebels at the turn of the millennium.

Under the auspices of Sadc in what became known as Operation Sovereign Legitimacy, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Angola sent troops to the DRC to help the Kinshasa government repel the rebellion.