Mpango arrives in Lusaka as SADC leaders discuss regional security situation

Dar es Salaam. Tanzania Vice President Philip Mpango arrived in Lusaka on Friday, March 22, 2024, as the Southern African Development Community (SADC) leaders meet to discuss the security situation in the region.

SADC will hold an extraordinary summit on Saturday focusing on the situation in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Cabo Delgado in northern Mozambique.

Tanzania will be represented by Dr Mpango, who has already arrived in Zambia for the meeting.

His office released a video showing Dr Mpango disembarking from the aircraft at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport in Lusaka, where he was welcomed by a parade and traditional dances.

“The Vice President is expected to represent President Samia Suluhu Hassan at the emergency summit of Heads of State and government of the SADC Organ Troika on politics, defence, and security issues, along with countries contributing to the SADC Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC),” the office stated in a video caption.

The extraordinary summit of the Organ Troika, plus the SADC Troika, troop-contributing countries to the SAMIDRC, personnel-contributing countries to the SAMIM, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of Mozambique will put the regional bloc’s two continental peacekeeping operations under the microscope.

According to a statement by SADC, the summit will be chaired by President Hakainde Hichilema of Zambia in his capacity as chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation. The SADC Organ is an institution of SADC that is responsible for the promotion of peace and security in the region.

“The summit will discuss the security situation in the SADC region, with a focus on the situation in the eastern part of the DRC and Cabo Delgado in northern Mozambique. The summit will receive an update on the progress of SADC missions, namely SAMIDRC and SAMIM, which were deployed to support the governments of the DRC and Mozambique to restore peace, security, and stability to pave the way for sustainable development,” SADC stated.

Currently, the SADC Organ Troika comprises the Republic of Zambia as chair of the organ; the United Republic of Tanzania as the incoming chair of the organ; and the Republic of Namibia as the outgoing chair of the organ. The SADC Troika comprises the Republic of Angola as the chair of SADC; the Republic of Zimbabwe as the incoming chair of SADC; and the Democratic Republic of Congo as the outgoing chair of SADC.

SAMIM personnel contributing countries include Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. SAMIDRC troop-contributing countries are Malawi, South Africa, and the United Republic of Tanzania, working together with the government of the DRC.

SAMIM is due to conclude in July, with initial deployment for SAMIDRC in December.