30 May 2021

 Last week’s SADC double troika summit has called for an emergency heads of state and government meeting in three weeks’ time to be hosted by Mozambique.

 Speaking after the summit, President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi, who is SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation chairperson, said the purpose was to look at double troika recommendations and take a stand on combating terrorist activities in the region.

He said the double troika  considered a report by the technical team assigned in April to assess security challenges in Mozambique’s troubled Cabo Delgado province and recommended actions for consideration by the extraordinary summit.

 While the report and its contents would not be made public before the June summit, Dr Masisi said any action to assist Mozambique needed endorsement by all 16 SADC member states.

President Masisi said should the emergency summit endorse the double troika recommendations, among them military intervention, Botswana would assist to combat the faceless terrorists that had displaced thousands.

He pointed out that military intervention among other things required due diligence as it bordered on issues of law and sovereignty of the countries involved. 

 “Our future depends on how we respond to the challenge we are faced with,” he said.

The region, he said, should help Mozambique fight insurgency explaining that in the case of Botswana, he had made a commitment to Batswana to foster peace and security in the region.

SADC chairperson and Mozambique President Mr Filipe Nyusi said his country would accept SADC intervention to bring an end to the insurgency. 

President Nyusi said Mozambique advocated for coordinated actions and a regional strategy in the fight against terrorism.

As a country besieged by terror acts, Mozambique recognised the importance of collective actions to overcome security challenges, he said.

Mr Nyusi emphasised the need to make the SADC standby force operational.ends