SADC Ministers to Review Security Situation in Eastern Congo

{The Ministers of Southern Africa Community (SADC) Inter-state Defence and Security Committee (ISDSC) are meeting in Pretoria from 20-21 July 2015 to review security situation in the region including the Eastern Part of the Democratic Republic of Congo which borders with Rwanda.}

The meeting also is expected to discuss the funding of the East African standby Force.

The Angola National Defence minister, gen. João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço said The meeting is meant to review the political, defence and security situation in the region, particularly in member countries still faced with conflict, like the Democratic Republic of Congo (RDC) where events of instability are still recorded, particularly in the eastern region bordering on Rwanda.

The minister said the meeting will also review the situation of threat of war in Mozambique and in Madagascar, including the situation that followed the murder of Lesotho chief of staff in June this year.

According to the official, the event is also to review the SADC strategy to tackle terrorism currently troubling the continent.

The Angolan delegation includes the National Air Force commander, gen. Gonçalves Afonso “Hanga”, and other high ranking officers of the National Defence, Interior, Armed Forces and National Police.

João Lourenço added that the event seeks to promote peace and good relations within the region, by avoiding conflicts and wars and promote socio-economic and political cooperation in the region.

Other aims sought by the SADC organ for politics, defence and security includes the search for common solutions to the main challenges in the region, reduction and unification of customs tariffs and import taxes in the trade among the member countries.

The organ also seeks to stimulate trade of goods and services among member countries, reduce poverty, improve the living and maximise the use of natural resources of the region.

SADC is comprised of Angola, South Africa, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.