News / National
Zambia's Hichilema convenes virtual Troika meeting to discuss Zimbabwe Election report
27 Sep 2023 at 12:06hrs | Views
As the current Chair of the SADC Troika, Zambia recently organized a virtual meeting to address various regional issues, including the SADC Electoral Observation Mission (SEOM) report on Zimbabwe's recent disputed harmonized elections and other security challenges in the region.
In response to demands from the opposition in Zimbabwe and concerned citizens for an urgent Extraordinary SADC Summit to address the country's political challenges stemming from the flawed August 23 elections, Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema, who is also the current Chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence, and Security Cooperation, announced the convening of a virtual Extraordinary Organ Troika Summit on September 27, 2023.
Key leaders attended this virtual summit, including Tanzanian President Dr. Samia Suhulu Hassan (the incoming chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence, and Security Cooperation), Namibian President Hage Gottfried Geingob (the outgoing chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence, and Security Cooperation), and President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Felix Antoine Tshisekedi.
The summit focused on addressing the security situation in eastern DRC, updates regarding critical capabilities pledged for the SADC mission in the DRC (SAMIDCR), and the progress made towards deploying forces in eastern DRC, especially the revised indicative budget for the SAMIDRC. Zambia emphasized its commitment to supporting the SADC mission in the DRC to maintain regional peace and stability, which is essential for promoting intra-regional trade and investment and driving socio-economic development.
Zambia's Foreign Affairs Ministry also noted that the deployment of a Brigade-size Force to support the DRC for an initial 12-month period, starting on September 30, 2023, had been approved during a previous Extraordinary Organ Troika Summit Plus SADC Troika and Force Intervention Brigade Troop Contributing Countries (FIB TCCs) meeting on May 11, 2023, in Windhoek, Namibia.
Furthermore, the summit addressed the SEOM report on the harmonized elections in Zimbabwe and discussed governance issues, which are fundamental to Zambia's foreign policy.
The virtual summit followed a preceding virtual Extraordinary Council of Ministers Meetings on September 27, 2023.
In response to demands from the opposition in Zimbabwe and concerned citizens for an urgent Extraordinary SADC Summit to address the country's political challenges stemming from the flawed August 23 elections, Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema, who is also the current Chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence, and Security Cooperation, announced the convening of a virtual Extraordinary Organ Troika Summit on September 27, 2023.
Key leaders attended this virtual summit, including Tanzanian President Dr. Samia Suhulu Hassan (the incoming chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence, and Security Cooperation), Namibian President Hage Gottfried Geingob (the outgoing chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence, and Security Cooperation), and President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Felix Antoine Tshisekedi.
Zambia's Foreign Affairs Ministry also noted that the deployment of a Brigade-size Force to support the DRC for an initial 12-month period, starting on September 30, 2023, had been approved during a previous Extraordinary Organ Troika Summit Plus SADC Troika and Force Intervention Brigade Troop Contributing Countries (FIB TCCs) meeting on May 11, 2023, in Windhoek, Namibia.
Furthermore, the summit addressed the SEOM report on the harmonized elections in Zimbabwe and discussed governance issues, which are fundamental to Zambia's foreign policy.
The virtual summit followed a preceding virtual Extraordinary Council of Ministers Meetings on September 27, 2023.
Source - cite.org.zw
