Sadc leaders discuss Mozambique situation

President Lazarus Chakwera Thursday joined other leaders in Mozambique at the Extraordinary Double Troika Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) Organ on Security, Defence and Security.

Leaders of the six countries of Tanzania, South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi discussed the establishment and operationalisation of a humanitarian and emergency operation centre and reviewed the security situation in the region.

Chakwera, who is expected to take over the chairmanship of Sadc in August this year, said Malawi needed to participate in the summit to promote solidarity.

In Mozambique, Chakwera was welcomed by the Deputy Foreign Minister of Mozambique Manuel Jose Goncalves and other senior government officials at Mavalane International Airport.

At the last summit held in April 2021, the leaders lamented terrorism acts perpetrated against innocent civilians, women and children in some districts of Cabo Delgado Province of Mozambique.

In an interview at Polana Serena Hotel Thursday, Minister of Homeland Security Richard Chimwendo Banda—who has accompanied the President—said it was important that the President attended the summit.

“If there is no peace in Mozambique, that would affect Malawi and other countries that are bordering it. Whatever we are doing here is to show solidarity with our fellow country, just like any other country in the region, hence it is very paramount that our leaders meet to discuss and make sure that there is peace in Mozambique,” he said.

Some 700,000 Mozambicans have been displaced by the violence in recent years.