SADC peace mission in Mozambique to withdraw ahead...

SADC peace mission in Mozambique to withdraw ahead of ED's chair assumption

Oscar J Jeke
Zim Now Reporter

The Southern African Development Community peace mission in Mozambique is set to withdraw this month ahead of the Organ's heads of state and government meeting td to be held in Harare in August when President Emmerson Mnangagwa will assume the SADC chair.

Outoging Troika chair and Zambian President Hichilema Hakaiende announced the withdrawal through his Foreign Mulambo Haimbe during the two-day 26th meeting of the ministerial committee of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defense, and Security in Lusaka.

"I wish to state that the SAMIM (SADC-Mission in Mozambique) has successfully reclaimed villages and will fully demobilize on July 15, 2024," Haimbe told delegates in Lusaka.

Zambia is currently SADC Organ chair with Tanzania incoming and Namibia outgoing. Zimbabwe is taking over the chair from Angola while DRC is outgoing.

The SADC Mission in Mozambique has personnel and equipment contributions from 10 SADC states: Angola, Botswana, DRC, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe and were fighting islamic insurgents in Cabo Delgado.

The Zambian top diplomat said the ministerial meeting expected the SADC Mission in DR Congo (SAMIMDRC) would "equally achieve its cause to address the insecurity in the eastern part of that country".

The meeting in Lusaka was a prelude to thee, Zimbabwe next month.