SADC happy with progress in Cabo Delgado

SADC happy with progress in Cabo Delgado

Hosia Mviringi

The Southern African Development Community is satisfied with the progress and achievement of its military intervention in the Cabo Delgado Province in Mozambique.

This was revealed in a statement after a familiarisation tour by the region’s country ambassadors to Maputo recently.

“The acts of terrorism in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Region do not only affect the Republic of Mozambique but are detrimental to the unity and solidarity the region has enjoyed over the years and it is therefore critical to neutralising the enemy as a unit and a collective force,” Malawian Ambassador to South Africa Wezi Moyo said.

Ambassador Moyo is also Chairperson of the SADC Ambassadors and High Commissioners in Mozambique.

Ambassador Moyo made the remarks during a three-day familiarisation visit by SADC Diplomats based in Maputo to Pemba District of Cabo Delgado Province of Mozambique.

The Ambassadors’ visit was aimed at offering moral support and to get an appreciation of the operations of the SADC Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM) which is collaborating with the Mozambique Defence Forces (FADM) to crush violent terrorists extremism.

The Ambassadors were undertaking a first-hand assessment of the situation ahead of an envisaged imminent visit by the SADC Heads of State and Government for the same.

The visit enabled the Ambassadors to appreciate the situation regarding the humanitarian status of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who are housed in temporary shelters.

Mozambique is currently housing about 850 000 internally displaced persons whose temporary housing and ultimate reintegration back into society require a collective effort.

The commitment and deployment of the SADC Standby Forces in collaboration with the Rwandan and Mozambican Defence Forces is testimony of regional solidarity and Pan Africanism.

As part of the familiarisation tour, Ambassadors interacted with IDPs to appraise themselves with the conditions of living and offered messages of hope, unity and solidarity.

The Diplomats also visited SAMIM forward bases in Mocimboa, Palma, Nangade, Mueda and Macomia which are key in providing support to the strategic goals and tactical objectives of the operation.

According to Professor Mpho G Molomo who is the Head of SAMIM and Special Representative to the Chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, the intent of the SAMIM is to expeditiously degrade and weaken the terrorists so that it will be impossible for them to regroup and destabilise more targets, both within and without the Mozambican territory.

Among the SADC Diplomats and dignitaries were H.E (Rtd) General Simphiwe Nyanda (South Africa), H.E, Mr Gobe Pitso (Botswana), H.E Mr Victor Matemadanda (Zimbabwe), Representatives of Eswatini, United Republic of Tanzania and Zambia, Ambassador Carlos da Costa ( Director of Regional and Continental Integration for the Republic of Mozambique and the SADC National Contact Point Person for Mozambique.