2023-08-18Maria Sheya President Hage Geingob, chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence, and Security Cooperation said the organ tried its best in promoting regional peace and security for the past year.Speaking at the 43rd SADC Ordinary Summit, the head of State shed light on the organ’s successes for the year 2022/2023 and areas where the organ needs to focus on. He said the year under review convened three extraordinary summits which centred around finding solutions to the challenges of peace and security in the region.“The organ has tried its utmost best in promoting regional peace and security for the betterment of the region. We assisted the Kingdom of Lesotho to negotiate vital government reforms and to undertake a peaceful transition of political power in 2022,” said Geingob.He said as several member states such as Zimbabwe, the Kingdom of Eswatini, Madagascar and the Republic of Congo undertake general elections in the coming months, it is his hope that such elections will be done in a climate of peace. He, however, noted that the organ needs to focus on strengthening the territorial integrity of DRC and Mozambique and complete the implementation of national reforms in Lesotho, and initiation of national dialogue in the Kingdom of Eswatini.Furthermore, the organ must focus on finding options for sustainable funding for the SADC electoral observation missions in support of democracy and good governance practices in the region.Geingob applauded and expressed gratitude towards the outgoing chairperson of the organ, Cyril Ramaphosa, president of South Africa, and the incoming chairperson, Hakainde Hichilema, president of Zambia.“It was a pleasure to work with both president Cyril Ramaphosa and president Hakainde Hichilema who were readily available for extraordinary summits of the troika… The Republic of Namibia will diligently continue to play her role as the outgoing chair of the organ in the coming year,” said Geingob.He also thanked the ministerial committee of the organ (MCO), under the leadership of honourable Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, and the SADC Secretariat team.-mamakali@nepc.com.na 2023-08-18Maria Sheya
