Final Communique of the 32nd Summit of the Southern African Development Community

Andy Rajoelina, coup leader in Madagascar, Joacquim Chissano, former president of Mozambique and Marc Ravalomanana, the deposed president of Madagascar, holding talks to resolve the political crisis inside this country., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

Final Communique of 32nd Summit of Sadc Heads of State

Tuesday, 21 August 2012 00:00
Sadc Correspondent

The following is the Final Communique of the 32nd Summit of Sadc Heads of State and Government in Maputo, Mozambique, August 18, 2012

The 32nd Session of the Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Southern African Development Community ( Sadc) was held in Maputo, Republic of Mozambique on August 17 and 18, 2012.

Summit elected H.E. Armando Emilio Guebuza, the President of the Republic of Mozambique and H.E. President Joyce Banda of the Republic of Malawi as Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson of Sadc, respectively.

Summit also elected H.E. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, President of the United Republic of Tanzania and H.E. President Hifikepunye Pohamba of the Republic Namibia as Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson of the Sadc Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Co-operation, respectively.

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
Mozambique: H.E. President Armando Emilio Guebuza
Namibia: H.E. President Hifikepunye Pohamba
Seychelles: H.E. President James Alix Michel
South Africa: H.E. President Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma
Swaziland: His Majesty King Mswati III
United Republic: H.E. President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete of Tanzania
Zambia: H.E. President Michael Chilufya Sata
Zimbabwe: H.E. President Robert Gabriel Mugabe
Angola: H.E. Fernando da Piedade Dias Dos Santos, Vice-President
Mauritius: Hon. Arvin Boolell, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International

Summit was also attended by H.E. Joaquim Alberto Chissano, former President of Mozambique, and Sadc Mediator on the conflict in Madagascar.

In attendance were also the following: Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, South African Minister of Home Affairs and Incoming Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC); H.E. Dr Donald Kaberuka, President of the African Development Bank (AfDB); Mr Sindiso Ndema Ngwenya, Secretary-General of the Common Market for East and Southern Africa (Comesa); Ambassador Dr Richard Sezibera, Secretary-General of the East African Community (EAC) and Dr Esau M. Chiviya, Secretary General of the Sadc Parliamentary Forum.

President Guebuza, Sadc Chairperson and host of the 32nd Summit, welcomed the Sadc Heads of State and Government and other delegates to the Republic of Mozambique.

In his speech, President Guebuza paid tribute to the outgoing Chairperson for having provided good leadership to the Region.

He indicated that his chairpersonship shall, among others, focus on the development corridors as vehicles for Sadc regional integration that need to be harnessed due to the role they play in consolidating social dimensions of development and the regional integration process.

Addressing the official opening ceremony of Summit through his Vice-President, H.E. Fernando de Piedade Dias Dos Santos, outgoing Sadc Chairperson, H.E. President Jose Eduardo dos Santos of the Republic of Angola, thanked the Heads of State and Government, the entire Region, and International Co-operating Partners (ICPs) for supporting him during his chairpersonship. In handing over the chairpersonship to Mozambique, President dos Santos pledged his support and urged all the member states to render Mozambique their undivided support as they did to Angola during his tenure of office.

In his acceptance statement, the new Sadc Chairperson and host of the 32nd Ordinary Sadc Summit, H.E. President Guebuza, said that Mozambique accepts the chairpersonship of Sadc with immense humility and shall continue to count on all Sadc Member States to assist in his endeavour to move the region forward

The Summit also received maiden statements from three new leaders of three Sadc Member States as follows:

l Rt. Hon. Thomas Motsoahae Thabane, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Lesotho, who paid tribute to the regional body for promoting democracy and underscored the importance of deepening regional integration and alleviation of poverty within the framework of the Regional Strategic Indicative Development Plan.

l H.E Joyce Banda, President of the Republic of Malawi shared with the summit the progress Malawi has made in stabilising the economic situation and that she looked forward to the expeditious implementation of the Sadc Infrastructure Master Plan.

l H.E. Michael Chilufya Sata, President of the Republic of Zambia re-affirmed the need to strengthen peace, stability and democracy in the region as well as Zambia’s commitment to the Sadc Agenda.

Summit was also addressed by H.E. Dr Dlamini-Zuma, who attended the Summit for the first time in her capacity as the Incoming Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC).

Dr Dlamini-Zuma thanked the Sadc leaders for supporting her candidature to the AUC chairpersonship and undertook to serve the African Continent with all due diligence and expressed her commitment to work with the whole continent and all the Regional Economic Communities of African to address the daunting challenges that face the continent in the improvement of the quality of lives of its people.

Summit was further addressed by H.E. Donald Kaberuka, President of the African Development Bank (AfDB). He informed the Summit that there were liquidity challenges at the global level arising from the Eurozone crisis and challenged Member States to mobilise resources for investment in projects for Africa and particularly for the Sadc Region.

Summit received the Report of the Outgoing Chairperson of Sadc, President Jose Eduardo dos Santos of Angola, outlining activities carried out during his tenure on the political and economic situation in the Region, which included investment promotion, resource mobilisation and AU Commission elections.

Summit thanked President dos Santos for his special efforts in promoting investment, mobilising resources for the region and elevating visibility and profile of Sadc and directed the secretariat to develop an Action Plan to follow-up on the recommendations in the Outgoing Chairperson’s Report.

Summit also received the Report of the Outgoing Chairperson of the Sadc Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Co-operation, H.E. Jacob G. Zuma, President of the Republic of South Africa. Summit noted that the region remained peaceful and stable with the exception of political and security challenges in two Member States, namely, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Madagascar.

On DRC, Summit noted with great concern that the security situation in the Eastern part of DRC has deteriorated in the last three (3) months, causing displacement of people and loss of lives and property.

Summit also noted that this is being perpetrated by rebel groups with assistance of Rwanda, and urged the latter to cease immediately its interference that constitutes a threat to peace and stability, not only of the DRC, but also of the Sadc Region.

This situation has called for renewed and urgent attention by the Summit which fielded an Assessment Mission to the DRC. Summit endorsed a Report of the Mission which recommended appropriate action to address the security situation in the eastern part of DRC.

Summit further mandated the Chairperson of Sadc to undertake a mission to Rwanda to engage the Government of Rwanda with the aim of urging Rwanda to stop military support to armed rebels in the DRC, the so-called M23.

Summit also urged Member States and the international Community to provide humanitarian relief to the displaced people in the Eastern part of DRC.

Summit directed the Sadc Secretariat to collaborate with the International Conference of the Great Lakes Region Secretariat in pursuit of peace and security in the Eastern DRC.

On Madagascar, Summit reiterated its previous decision taken during the Luanda Summit in August 2011 and mandated the Sadc Mediator in co-ordination with the Organ Troika to intensify the dialogue with the main Malagasy political stakeholders to implement the Road Map in full and urgently take the necessary measures to ensure a full and urgent implementation of the Road Map as well as to creating a favourable environment for free, fair and credible elections.

On Zimbabwe, Summit adopted the Report of the Sadc facilitator in Zimbabwe, Jacob Zuma, the President of the Republic of South Africa.

Summit noted the progress in the implementation of the Global Political Agreement (GPA) and urged the stakeholders to work together, in particular, on the Constitution-making process in Zimbabwe which is about to be concluded.

Summit urged signatories to the GPA to develop a roadmap with timelines that are guided by the requirements of the process necessary for adoption of the constitution and the creation of conditions for free and fair elections to be held.

Summit resolved that if there are any difficulties with regard to the Constitution and implementation of agreements, the facilitator should be called upon to engage with the parties and assist them resolve such issues, bearing in mind the timeframes and the necessity to hold free and fair elections.

Summit urged the parties to the GPA to continue the implementation of the GPA.
Summit noted the partial lifting of sanctions against Zimbabwe and urged the European Union and the rest of the international community to lift all the sanctions unconditionally.

Summit commended President Zuma and his team for the progress made towards normalising the Zimbabwe situation.

On consolidation of democracy and good governance in the Region, Summit noted that Sadc Member States continue to adhere to the Principles Governing Democratic Elections by holding regular elections such as elections in the Republics of Zambia and Seychelles, the DRC and the Kingdom of Lesotho.

Summit commended the governments and peoples of these Member States for the peaceful manner in which they conducted their elections.

Summit also commended the President of South Africa, H.E. Jacob G Zuma and Outgoing Chairperson of the Sadc Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Co-operation, the Chairperson of Sadc, H.E. Emilio Armando Guebuza, President of the Republic Mozambique, H.E. Michael Chilufya Sata, President of the Republic of Zambia, H.E. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Sadc Executive Secretary, Dr. Tomaz Augusto Salomão, for the support rendered to Malawi for the smooth and peaceful transition of power in Malawi, following the death of President Bingu wa Mutharika.

Summit noted that the economic performance of the Region was characterised by a slow economic growth as shown by a decline in real GDP from 5,5 percent in 2010 to 4,7 percent, in 2011 and a stagnant level of average inflation at 8,3 percent.

This trend was largely influenced by developments in the global markets, especially in the Eurozone.

Summit reviewed progress in the implementation of the regional economic integration agenda.

In this regard, Summit received a report on the framework of the Sadc Customs Union from the Ministerial Task Force on Regional Economic Integration outlining key elements for the Customs Union, in particular the parameters, benchmarks and a model Customs Union for Sadc including the sequencing of activities.

Summit also noted progress made towards the establishment of the Tripartite Free Trade Area, especially preparatory work to facilitate negotiations under the chairpersonship of the Sadc Region.

Summit also noted progress made towards the operationalisation of the Sadc Regional Development Fund, a financial mechanism intended to mobilise resources from Member States, Private Sector and Development Partners to finance programmes and projects for regional development and deeper integration.

Summit noted areas of agreement reached in the various aspects of the Fund including the windows of the Fund with the infrastructure and industrial development windows as top priorities and a subscribed capital of US1,2 billion to be raised as seed capital.

Summit directed Ministers responsible for Finance and Investment to expeditiously address all outstanding issues in order for the Fund to become operational as soon as possible.

Summit reviewed the status of implementation of infrastructure programmes in the Region and also adopted the Regional Infrastructure Development Master Plan Vision 2027 for implementation over a 15-year-period (2013-2027).

The Plan will serve as a key Strategic Framework to guide the implementation of efficient, seamless and cost-effective trans-boundary infrastructure networks in an integrated and co-ordinated manner in all the six sectors namely, Energy, Transport, Tourism, ICT and Postal, Meteorology and Water.

Summit reviewed the regional food security situation, in particular cereal, non-cereal and livestock production, and noted that the Region will experience an overall cereal deficit of 5,5 million tonnes largely due to poor rains.

This will therefore result in an increase in the number of people requiring humanitarian assistance in terms of food and non-food assistance.

Summit thus urged Member States to undertake appropriate measures to ensure sustainable food security in line with the Dar es Salaam Declaration on Agriculture and Food Security. In the short-term, Member States are encouraged to provide the necessary humanitarian assistance.

Summit noted the successful outcome of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of Parties 17 (UNFCCC COP 17) and Kyoto Protocol (COP/MOP7) held in Durban, South Africa in November/December 2011.

Sadc Member States supported and successfully championed the African common position towards COP17 which proved to be a significant step in producing a favourable outcome for Africa.

Summit noted that the Green Climate Fund was established in Durban and Sadc Member States pledged their full support to Namibia in her bid to host the Secretariat of the Green Fund.

Summit noted progress in the implementation of the Maseru Declaration of 2003 on combating HIV and Aids, in particular, the reduction of new infections including the Prevention of Mother to child Transmission; decline in Aids-related deaths and positive behavioural change for HIV prevention among the youth.

Summit urged Member States to fully support the implementation of on-going regional programmes including the Sadc HIV and Aids cross-border initiative for providing preventive care and treatment services at major cross-border points.

Summit commended Malawi for the ascendance to the presidency of the first woman in the Sadc Region and commended the Member States that have achieved high women representation in political and decision-making positions and urged Member States that have not yet achieved the set target for equal representation to take appropriate measures to do so.

Summit also urged Member States to consider adoption of appropriate measures including legislation, policy, and reform of the electoral systems to facilitate the achievement of gender parity goal.

Summit agreed to embark on a process of developing a long-term vision for Sadc, taking into account the Vision Statement articulated in the Treaty and in the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan.

Summit considered the Report of the Committee of Ministers of Justice/Attorneys General and the observations by the Council of Ministers and resolved that a new Protocol on the Tribunal should be negotiated and that its mandate should be confined to interpretation of the Sadc Treaty and Protocols relating to disputes between Member States
Summit approved and signed the following three legal instruments:

l Agreement on Assistance in Tax Matters
l Protocol on Trade in Services
l Declaration on TB in the Mining Sector
Summit received a Declaration from the First Spouses, presented by Mozambican First Lady, H.E. Maria da Luz Guebuza, in which they committed themselves to supporting Sadc governments in all commitments on Prevention of Mother to Child Prevention with the view to zero new HIV infections, Zero Discriminations and Zero HIV-related deaths, because they believed that a Sadc HIV-free generation is possible an is a prerequisite to development and regional integration.

Summit expressed its appreciation to the Government and people of Mozambique for hosting the Summit and for the warm hospitality extended to all the delegates.

Summit also thanked all continental bodies that attended the summit.

The Chairperson of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Co-operation, H.E. Jayaka Mrisho Kikwete, President of the United Republic of Tanzania, made his acceptance statement and committed himself to ensure the implementation of decisions of Sadc policy structures to maintain peace and security in region.

Summit was officially closed by Sadc Chairperson, H.E. President Armando Emilio Guebuza of the Republic of Mozambique.
The Deputy Chairperson of Summit, H.E. Joyce Banda, invited the Heads of State and Government and all delegates to the next summit to be held in Malawi in 2013.

August 18, 2012
Maputo, Mozambique
Source: sadc.int.