27 Dec 2018

President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi has expressed happiness with results of the joint Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) and International Conference of the Great Lakes Region summit (ICGLR) which he attended in Congo-Brazzaville on December 26.

The summit, whose attendants included Namibia President Hagen Geingob in his capacity as SADC chairperson and host, Mr Denis Sassour Nguesso, also ICGLR chair, discussed the Democratic Republic of Congo situation following the recent postponement of its presidential elections.

Addressing the media upon arrival from

Congo-Brazzaville, President Masisi said the summit heard presentations by DRC opposition political parties emisseries, limitations placed on political campaigns, the militarisation of non-military people and violence in the eastern part of the country among others.

Through a communiqué, the heads of state appealed to all managing the elections to ensure peace, security and stability and strongly condemned acts of violence in the eastern part of the DRC.

Noting that there were no perfect elections President Masisi said despite the many challenges in the DRC, those running the elections were managing fairly well.

For her part, Minister of International Affairs and Cooperation Dr Unity Dow said they attended the summit because “it was important that DRC holds its polls”.

She further acknowledged work done by the DRC’s Independent Electoral Commission saying the body had had many challenges including the destruction, through fire, of many of their electronic voting machines and managing elections together with an Ebola outbreak.

Dr Dow said the summit had, through a communique, called on all parties to exercise restraint in order to have credible elections in a peaceful environment.

Presidents Mr Edgar Lungu of Zambia and Joao Lorenco of Angola also attended the summit. ENDS