MEDIA STATEMENT ON THE EXTRAORDINARY MEETING OF THE SADC ORGAN ON POLITICS, DEFENCE AND SECURITY
(ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA, 31ST JANUARY, 1ST FEBRUARY 2008)


1.On the 31st January and 1st February 2008, on the margins of the 10th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union, an Extraordinary Summit of the SADC Organ Defence and Security was held.

2.The Summit was chaired by H.E. President Jakaya Kikwete, of the United Republic of Tanzania in his Capacity of Member of the SADC Organ Troika and was attended by SADC Heads of State and Government or their representatives.

3.The Summit of the SADC Organ considered the following briefings:

• Status of negotiations between the Zimbabwe ruling Party ZANU-PF and the opposition MDC, by President Thabo Mbeki, of South Africa:
• The situation in the Eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), by Hon. Joao Bernardo Miranda, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Angola:
• The floods situation in the SADC Region, by Dr. Tomaz Augusto Salamao, the Executive Secretary of SADC.

On Zimbabwe

4.H.E. President Thabo Mbaki briefed the meeting on the following developments:

4.1The Zimbabwe ruling party, ZANU-PF, and the opposition MDC have reached agreement on all substantive matters relating to the political situation in Zimbabwe, which the ruling party and the opposition had placed on their negotiations agenda, as follows:
(a)The Constitution
(b)Electoral Laws
(c)Security legislation, in particular the Public Order and Security Act (POSA)
(d)Communication legislation, In particular the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act: (AIPPA) and the Broadcasting Services Act;
(e)Matters relating to the political climate in Zimbabwe, such as the land question, sanctions, political motivated violence, external Interference in Zimbabwe.

4.2The most urgent of these, including constitutional and statutory changes, have already been put into effect through constitutional and legal amendments approved by the Parliament of Zimbabwe, to which the President of the Republic has assented.
4.3The only outstanding matter relates to the procedure to be followed in enacting the agreed constitution.

5.The Summit welcomed the good progress made by the Zimbabwe Negotiating Parties and congratulated them for successfully concluding their negotiations.

6.Summit congratulated and thanked the SADC Facilitator, President Mbeki and his Facilitation Team, for the role they had played in helping to achieve this outcome and asked President Mbeki to continue in his role as Facilitator on Zimbabwe, to help the Zimbabwe parties to conclude the outstanding “procedural” mater of the enactment of the agreed Draft Constitution.

7.The Summit Meeting called on the Zimbabwe parties to continue their dialogue to resolve this issue.


On the situation in the Eastern part of the DRC.

8.Summit was briefed on the efforts made by H.E. Jose Eduardo dos Santos. President of Angola and Chair of the Organ to assist stop the military clashes which have continued to claim people’s lives in the part of the Government of the DRC and the rebel Groups in conflict which so far have led to dialogue and cessation of violence.

9.Summit noted with appreciation the efforts undertaken by President Jose Edurado dos Santos in assisting to stabilize the situation in the DRC and encouraged the Government of the DRC and all concerned parties to settle any disputes through the lows of the country and in the spirit of reconciliation.


On the floods

10.The Executive Secretary of SADC, Dr. Tomaz Augusto Salamao briefed Summit on the difficult situation created by floods, particularly in Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The Executive Secretary Indicated that floods have claimed human lives, washed away crops, destroyed property, social and economic infrastructure.

11.Summit noted the report by the Executive Secretary with concern and pledged to coordinate regional efforts and solidarity to minimize the negative effects brought about by the floods on the development efforts of the SADC region.

12.Summit mandated the Executive Secretary to work closely with the national disaster structures in order to reinforce their capacities and exchange of information and experiences amongst themselves.

SADC Secretariat
04 February, 2008