The SADC Summit has approved the inclusion of a neutral force in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo to ensure peace in the region.
This is what emerges from the Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government of SADC which ended Saturday night in Dar es Salaam (Tanzania).
The meeting was dedicated to identifying ways to find a solution to the political crisis in the DRC, Madagascar and Zimbabwe.
Thus, the summit, during which Angola has been represented by the Vice President of the Republic, Manuel Vicente, assigned to the SADC secretariat tasked to develop a plan for the inauguration of this force in state until 14 December.
Those forces will work together with other troops set by the United Nations and the African Union.
Apart from SADC forces, Tanzania and South Africa have also promised to send a battalion.
On occasion, the President of Tanzania, Jakaya Kikwete said that some Member States of SADC have pledged their financial and logistical support to the success of this operation, such as the DRC, Tanzania and South Africa.
This force main mission is to neutralize the four known groups active in North and South Kivu, including the rebel group M23, a self-proclaimed revolutionary army of the Congo, the Rwandan rebels of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) Ugandan rebels of the Allied Democratic Forces-National Army for the Liberation of Uganda (ADF-NALU) and Burundian rebels of the National Liberation Forces (FNL).
According to the Head of State of Tanzania, the program also includes the training of troops from the DRC in order to cope with future attempts to rebel attacks.
Regarding the situation in Madagascar, the Heads of State and Government of SADC noted that the two candidates, including Marc Ravalomanana and Andry Rajoelina, should be persuaded not to participate in the next general election, as a measure to solve the current crisis.
Thus, they urged all stakeholders to meet the deadline of 18 May and 25 July 2013 for the holding of presidential and legislative elections, respectively, and to this end, to fully implement the roadmap of the political process in Madagascar.
On Zimbabwe, summit urged politicians to conclude the constitutional review process, including the referendum before the 2013 elections.
In this perspective, the Head of State and Government of SADC appealed to politicians in Zimbabwe to fully implement the provisions which establish the general policy support program.
Part of SADC, Angola, Zimbabwe, Zambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, Namibia, Malawi, Botswana, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland , Lesotho and Seychelles.
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