04 Sep 2014

SADC has encouraged Lesotho's coalition government to continue to provide leadership in an effort to find lasting political solution to the current impasse.

Speaking at a post-summit diplomats and media brief on September 2, SADC executive secretary, Dr Stergomena Tax noted that the leaders said this at the 34th summit of SADC Heads of State held in Zimbabwe on August 17-18.

She further appealed to all political leaders and the people in general to refrain from any action that might undermine peace and stability in Lesotho and urged political stakeholders to resolve the political challenges in accordance with the constitution, laws of the land in line with democratic principles.

Dr Tax said the summit commended the people and governments of four SADC member states namely Swaziland, Madagascar, South Africa and Malawi for holding peaceful, free, fair and credible elections between the 33rd and 34th Ordinary Summits.

She indicated that the summit also received a report of the outgoing chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, President Hifikepunye Pohamba of Nambia highlighting that the political and security in the region remained generally peaceful and stable.

“On the issue of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the summit endorsed the decision by the last Joint SADC-ICGLR Ministerial meeting that voluntary surrender and disarmament by Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda (FDLR) shall be done within a six month time frame,” she said.

She further said the summit underscored the need to appropriately honour founding leaders who played an outstanding role in the liberation of Africa, at both regional and continental levels.

“The summit also noted progress in the review of the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan and directed its finalisation and the preparation of an Implementation Plan in order to provide guidance towards the implementation of SADC programmes,” said Dr Tax.

She indicated that the summit noted progress on the status of women’s representation in politics and decision making and urged member states to put in place effective legislation, policies and strategies necessary to sustain the achievements recorded so far.

“Member states also reviewed the threat posed by the Ebola virus disease and urged countries to continue putting in place measures to prevent its outbreak and to effectively contain it in case of an outbreak in the SADC region,” she said. ENDS