Cyril Ramaphosa goes to DRC for Sadc summit

President Cyril Ramaphosa is on a working visit to Kinshasa in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where he will attend the 42nd ordinary summit of Southern African Development Community (Sadc) heads of state and government.

Ramaphosa, in his capacity as outgoing chair of the Sadc organ on politics, defence and security co-operation, and as facilitator of the Lesotho peace process, will lead discussions at the summit, taking place on Wednesday and Thursday.

Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said Sadc member states would receive an update on the implementation of strategic policies and previous summit decisions.

The regional leaders last met in August 2021 in Lilongwe, Malawi.

“Given the frequency of natural disasters in the region, the summit is expected to adopt a memorandum of agreement on the establishment and operationalisation of the Sadc humanitarian and emergency operations centre (SHOC) to be hosted in Mozambique,” he said.  

Recognising the role of nonstate actors in that sector, Magwenya said the summit would consider a proposed SADC mechanism for engagement with them.

“This year’s summit will also consider the status of ratification, accession and implementation of Sadc agreements and protocols by member states,” he said.

It will also deliberate on a proposed amendment to a protocol on the development of tourism in the region and an amendment to the Sadc treaty that entails recognition of its parliament as a Sadc institution.

Magwenya said DRC President Félix Tshisekedi Tshilombo would take over as Sadc chair from Malawi’s Lazarus Chakwera.

TimesLIVE