18 Aug 2021

The election of Mr Elias Magosi as the first Motswana SADC executive secretary is a welcome development beneficial to the entire country.

These sentiments were expressed by President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi during a media conference at Sir Seretse Khama International Airport yesterday upon arrival from Lilongwe, Malawi where he attended the 41st SADC ordinary summit.

Emphasising that Mr Magosi would be serving all countries of the region equally, President Masisi however said having a Motswana as the bloc’s administrative head was not only a source of national pride but also served as an encouragement for younger Batswana to believe they could attain similarly important positions.

Dr Masisi said Mr Magosi’s candidature was the start of government’s intention to promote the holding of important positions by Batswana in multilateral organisations in which the country held membership.

On other issues, the President said he had handed over the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security chairmanship to South African president Mr Cyril Ramaphosa.

Dr Masisi said during his year-long tenure, he was seized with handling a border dispute between Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and encouraging stability in Lesotho, Mozambique and eSwatini.

He said a SADC solution brought an amicable end to the Zambia and DRC standoff while the Lesotho and eSwatini issues were being managed through diplomatic means led by the organisation’s emissaries.

Among other achievements President Masisi mentioned that the SADC standby force, led by Botswana and South Africa, was assisting to bring stability to Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado region, which had been besieged by terrorists.

He added that at Mozambique’s invitation, Rwanda had also dispatched troops to assist.

 

The summit saw Mozambique President Filipe Nyusi handing over the political leadership of the regional body to host President Dr Lazarus Chakwera. ENDS