SADC preparatory mission to visit Zimbabwe from 20 to 24 February 2024

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade advised that the SADC Preparatory Mission, led by the Deputy Executive Secretary, of Corporate Affairs Dr. Judith Kateera will be visiting Zimbabwe from 20 to 24 February 2024.

The Preparatory Mission is a technical team which will engage Zimbabwe in terms of preparations for hosting the 44th SADC Summit.

The Team will provide Zimbabwe with guidelines based on SADC minimum standards regarding the obligations when hosting the Summit. Zimbabwe will be provided with the opportunity to present reports on the state of preparedness towards hosting the Summit in Harare in August 2024.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa will be the SADC chairperson with effect from August. The SADC chairmanship change hands at each Sadc ordinary summit which is normally held once a year.

Mnangagwa will take over the chairperson's role from Angolan President João Lourenço when Zimbabwe hosts Sadc's 44th ordinary summit in August next year.

The opposition CCC petitioned SADC to block Mnangagwa from assuming the chairmanship of the 16-member bloc.

Mnangagwa took over as SADC deputy chairperson during its 43rd summit held in Angola.

CCC's petition sort to have Mnangagwa step down from the deputy chairperson's position until the matter of the disputed 23 August presidential election is resolved.

Mnangagwa was declared the winner of the election with 52.6% of the vote against CCC leader Nelson Chamisa's 44%. Chamisa, however, rejected the outcome, calling it "a gigantic fraud".