Luanda, ANGOLA, April 25 - The mandate of the SADC Prevention Mission to the Kingdom of Lesotho was extended for another six months, starting from this May up to November 2018. ,

The decision was taken last Tuesday in the end of the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), held in Luanda, which, among other issues, discussed the political situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Lesotho and Madagascar.

 

SAPMIL is made up of 217 military effectives, 162 of whom provided by Angola.

 

The summit also hailed the SADC Supervision Mission for the diligent way it has been conducting its mandate in Lesotho, having appealed to the authorities of that country to urgently promote the implementation of the recommendations made by the referred commission.

 

The final communiqué of the Luanda gathering states that the participants salute the member states that contributed to SAPMILwith personnel and equipment, as well as the military staffs in that mission for the level of commitment and professionalism they have been demonstrating.    

 

The political parties and other concerned players in Lesotho were exhorted to show seriousness in dialoguing and engaging in the reform process, so that the Kingdom of Lesotho can find lasting solutions to its current political conflicts and challenges. 

 

The meeting also approved the appointment of a renowned personality that will support the acting chairman of SADC, South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa, in his task of facilitating the work of the regional organisation in Lesotho.

 

As regards the situation in DR Congo, the SADC Double Troika Summit took good note of the progress being made in that country in the implementation of the political agreement signed in December 2016, as well as the execution of the chronogram of tasks leading to the general elections set for 23 December this year.  

 

The meeting manifested appreciation to Namibia and its former president, Hifikepunye Pohamba, for his readiness to take on the role of SADC special envoy to the DR Congo.

 

The summit equally approved  the urgent presence of the SADC special envoy to Madagascar, the former Mozambican president Joaquim Chissano, to assist the regional organisation’s Ministerial Committee chairman and Secretariat with promoting a national dialogue to ease the political tension in Madagascar and help to find consensus in regard to the electoral process in that country.    

 

The summit also approved the mandate of the chairman of the SADC Political, Defence and Security Co-operation body, Angolan President João Lourenço, to continue making contacts with the African Union and the United Nations with the aim of finding a common approach to support Madagascar.

 

The gathering was co-presided over by the acting chairman of SADC, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, and the chairman of the SADC Political, Defence and Security Co-operation Organ, President João Lourenço.

 

The event was also attended by the Congolese Head of State, Joseph Kabila, the Prime Minister of Lesotho, Thomas Thabane, and the Executive Secretary of SADC, Stergomena Lawrence Tax.

 

The Defence and Security Co-operation Organ is made up by Angola (chair), Zambia and Tanzania, whereas the SADC Troika comprises South Africa, Swaziland and Namibia.

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