Luanda - The Chairperson of Council of Ministers of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), Tete Antonio, Wednesday in Luanda called on member states to approve the revised budget of the organization's Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), in view of the electoral process to take place in that country in December.
Speaking at the opening of the virtual Extraordinary Meeting of the SADC Council of Ministers, the Angolan Foreign Affairs minister said everyone should be sensitive in this regard, since peace, security and political stability are the region's main gains.
Tete Antonio underlined that the meeting is being held in compliance with the decision of the Council of Ministers held in August in Luanda, which directed the secretariat to review and revise the budget of the SADC Mission in the DRC, which was further reaffirmed by the Summit of Heads of State and Government.
The Council of Ministers’ chairperson highlighted all the preparatory work carried out by the various SADC structures, namely the Defense Sub-Committee, the Finance Sub-Committee, as well as the Finance Committee and Senior Officials whose meeting took place on September 26, in preparation for the meeting.
Tete Antonio stressed that in the face of the threat of armed groups proliferating in the eastern region of the DRC, with particular emphasis on the resurgence of actions perpetrated by the M23 group, the region took the firm decision to deploy, until September 30, the SADC Standby Force.
The aim, the Angolan diplomat said, is to support peace and security efforts in that part of the country, a decision taken during the "Summit of the Extraordinary Organ Troika Summit (EO-OTS), SADC Troika plus Force Intervention Brigade (FIB) Troop Contributing Countries held in May, in Namibia.
Tete Antonio congratulated Zimbabwe on the recent elections, adding that he hopes that the legislative elections in the Kingdom of Eswatini to be held on September 29 would take place in a peaceful environment and tranquility, in harmony with the Constitution, principles and guidelines governing the community.
"In conclusion, I would like to highlight the presence of all the Member States taking part in this meeting and hope that it can achieve the necessary consensus and concrete recommendations for the deployment of the SADC Standby Force, which should be presented to the SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government," Tete Antonio said. LIN/VIC/AMP
