SADC Troika meets to map way forward

A HIGH-LEVEL meeting of SADC defence and foreign affairs ministers has finalised a document, called the Strategic Indicative Plan of the Defence Organ (SIPO), that maps the road ahead for the regional block’s organ on politics and security.

Sources who attended the one-day meeting in Windhoek on Monday said the document was presented to President Hifikepunye Pohamba, chairman of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security. The insiders said the meeting discussed the regional political situation, the creation of the SADC electoral advisory council, elections in the region, progress on the SADC stand-by force and the recruitment for the Organ at the SADC secretariat in Botswana.”They had to look at how much each SADC country must contribute in terms of money when it comes to recruitment of staff,” said one source.The meeting was chaired by Namibia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Marco Hausiku and was also attended by Defence Minister Major General Charles Namoloh.The South African team was led by Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, their Foreign Minister.She was accompanied by Defence Minister Mosioua Lekota and Charles Nqakula, the Minister of Safety and Security.Tanzania is the other member of the SADC Troika.The meeting also discussed the political situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo.When they briefed Pohamba on Monday afternoon, Dlamini-Zuma said SADC countries needed to support the DRC and that was why they discussed the mission to that country in detail.Hausiku said SIPO would help the region “create a promising future of peace, stability, democracy and prosperity” and “effective and timely realisation of the goals”.The meeting was briefed on the assessment mission to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).Most of the issues were discussed and agreed upon at the SADC Summit for Heads of State and Government, which was held in Botswana in August last year.The SADC heads of state agreed there to establish a SADC Electoral Advisory Council (SEAC) to advise the structures of the regional block and electoral commissions of member states on how to conduct elections.The August Summit had expressed concern about the impact armed groups might have on the elections planned for June this year in the DRC.The insiders said the meeting discussed the regional political situation, the creation of the SADC electoral advisory council, elections in the region, progress on the SADC stand-by force and the recruitment for the Organ at the SADC secretariat in Botswana.”They had to look at how much each SADC country must contribute in terms of money when it comes to recruitment of staff,” said one source.The meeting was chaired by Namibia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Marco Hausiku and was also attended by Defence Minister Major General Charles Namoloh.The South African team was led by Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, their Foreign Minister.She was accompanied by Defence Minister Mosioua Lekota and Charles Nqakula, the Minister of Safety and Security.Tanzania is the other member of the SADC Troika.The meeting also discussed the political situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo.When they briefed Pohamba on Monday afternoon, Dlamini-Zuma said SADC countries needed to support the DRC and that was why they discussed the mission to that country in detail.Hausiku said SIPO would help the region “create a promising future of peace, stability, democracy and prosperity” and “effective and timely realisation of the goals”.The meeting was briefed on the assessment mission to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).Most of the issues were discussed and agreed upon at the SADC Summit for Heads of State and Government, which was held in Botswana in August last year.The SADC heads of state agreed there to establish a SADC Electoral Advisory Council (SEAC) to advise the structures of the regional block and electoral commissions of member states on how to conduct elections.The August Summit had expressed concern about the impact armed groups might have on the elections planned for June this year in the DRC.