*COMMUNIQUÉ OF THE*
*33RD SUMMIT OF SADC HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT*
*LILONGWE, MALAWI: AUGUST 17-18, 2013.*
1. The 33rd Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the
Southern African Development Community (SADC) was held in Lilongwe,
Republic of Malawi on 17th and 18th August 2013.
2. Summit elected H.E. President Joyce Banda of the Republic of
Malawi and H.E Robert Gabriel Mugabe, President of the Republic of Zimbabwe
as Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson of SADC, respectively.
3. Summit also elected H.E. President Hifikepunye Pohamba of the
Republic of Namibia and Right Honourable Thomas Motsoahae Thabane, Prime
Minister of the Kingdom of Lesotho as Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson of
the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, respectively.
4. Summit was attended by the following Heads of State and
Government and or their representatives:
Botswana : H.E. President Lt. Gen. Seretse Khama
Ian Khama
DRC : H.E. President Joseph
Kabila Kabange
Lesotho : Rt. Hon. Prime Minister Thomas
Motsoahae Thabane
Malawi : H.E. President Joyce Banda
Mauritius : The Rt. Honourable Dr Navinchandra
Ramgoolam,
Prime Minister
Mozambique : H.E. President Armando Emilio Guebuza
South Africa : H.E. President Jacob Gedleyihlekisa
Zuma
United Republic : H.E. President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete
of Tanzania
Zimbabwe : H.E. President Robert
Gabriel Mugabe
Angola : Rt. Honourable Manuel Vicente,
Vice President
Namibia : Honourable Marco Hausiku, Deputy
Prime Minister
Seychelles : Rt. Honourable Danny Faure, Vice
President
Swaziland : Rt. Honourable Dr. Sibusiso Barnabas
Dlamini, Prime
Minister
Zambia : His Honour Dr. Guy Scott, Vice
President
5. Summit was also attended by H.E. Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma,
Chairperson of the African Union Commission, (AUC) and H.E. Dr. Tomaz
Augusto Salomão, SADC Executive Secretary. In attendance were also H.E. Mr.
Sindiso Ndema Ngwenya, Secretary General of the Common Market for East and
Southern Africa (COMESA); H.E. Amb. Dr. Richard Sezibera, Secretary General
of the East African Community (EAC); and Dr. Esau M. Chiviya, Secretary
General of the SADC Parliamentary Forum.
6. H.E. President Joyce Banda, SADC Chairperson and host of the
33rd Summit welcomed the SADC Heads of State and Government and other
delegates to the Republic of Malawi. President Banda paid tribute to the
outgoing Chairperson of SADC, H.E. President Armando Emilio Guebuza of
Mozambique for having provided leadership to the Region. She indicated that
her chairpersonship shall focus on poverty reduction* *and sustainable food
production, among other things.
7. The Outgoing SADC Chairperson, H.E. President Armando Emilio
Guebuza of Mozambique, commended SADC Heads of State and Government, the
entire Region, and International Cooperating Partners (ICPs) for the
support rendered to him during his tenure as Chairperson. President Guebuza
pledged to support President Banda and appealed to all Member States to
accord Malawi their usual support as she assumes the responsibility of
spearheading the SADC regional integration agenda.
8. In her acceptance statement, the new SADC Chairperson and host
of the 33rd Ordinary SADC Summit, H.E. President Banda indicated that
Malawi accepts the chairpersonship of SADC with humility, national pride
and a sense of responsibility and shall continue to count on all SADC
Member States for assistance to accelerate the implementation and
realization of the SADC regional integration agenda.
9. Summit was also addressed by H.E. Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma,
the AUC Chairperson who commended SADC Member States for the progress made
in regional integration. She undertook to ensure that the AUC continues to
render support to SADC Member States in order to realize peace and
stability, economic and socio-political development in the region leading
to the improvement of the quality of lives of the people of the Region.
10. Summit received the Report of the Outgoing Chairperson of SADC,
H.E. President Armando Emilio Guebuza of the Republic of Mozambique,
outlining activities carried out during his tenure of offices on the
social, political and economic spheres in the Region, which included
investment promotion, resource mobilisation and peace and political
stability.
11. Summit commended His Excellency President Armando Emilio Guebuza
for his efforts in promoting investment, mobilising resources for the
Region and raising the visibility and profile of SADC.
12. Summit received the Report of the Outgoing Chairperson of the SADC
Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, H.E. Jakaya Mrisho
Kikwete, President of the United Republic of Tanzania. Summit noted that
the Region remained generally peaceful and stable. Summit commended H.E.
Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete for successfully steering the SADC Organ on Politics,
Defence and Security Cooperation.
13. On DRC, Summit welcomed the deployment of the SADC Intervention
Brigade in the DRC to contain the deteriorating security and humanitarian
situation in the eastern part of the country. Summit commended the signing
of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the DRC and the Region
in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on 24 February 2013 and the adoption of by the UN
Security Council of Resolution 2098 of 2013 which provides the mandate for
the deployment of the Intervention Brigade in eastern DRC under the
auspices of MONUSCO.
14. Summit commended the Kampala Talks between the Government of the
DRC and M23 and noted that the Talks have become protracted and that, at
some point, a reasonable deadline should be considered.
15. Summit urged all Congolese stakeholders to participate in the all
inclusive national consultations in the country in order to find a lasting
political solution.
16. Summit emphasized the need to hold an urgent joint Summit of SADC
and the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region.
17 On Madagascar, Summit welcomed the establishment of the Special
Electoral Court of Madagascar which would pave the way for the holding of
free, fair and credible elections in the country.
18. Summit noted with satisfaction the positive developments
unfolding in Madagascar, especially with regard to the decision of the
newly formed Special Electoral Court to withdraw nine Presidential
candidates from the presidential race. Out of the nine candidates, the
three namely, Mr. Andry Rajoelina, Mrs. Lalao Ravalomanana and Mr. Didier
Ratsiraka are also included.
19. While congratulating the Special Electoral Court for its bold
decision, Summit urged the Court to speed up the process of holding
elections in the country.
20. Summit commended H.E Joaquim Chissano, former President of the
Republic of Mozambique and SADC Mediator on Madagascar as well as H.E.
Ambassador R. Lamambra, Commissioner for Peace and Security of the AU
Commission for their relentless and fruitful efforts to bring Madagascar
back to constitutional normalcy.
21. On Zimbabwe, Summit noted with satisfaction the holding of free
and peaceful harmonized elections on July 31, 2013. Summit commended the
Government and people of Zimbabwe for the peaceful manner in which
elections were conducted. Summit congratulated the ZANU (PF) party and
President Robert G. Mugabe for winning the harmonised elections. Summit
reiterated its call for the lifting of all forms of sanctions hitherto
imposed on Zimbabwe.
22. Summit commended H.E. President Gedleyihlekisa Zuma and his team
for their sterling job in facilitating the successful completion of the
Global Political Agreement.
23. Summit expressed its deep concern at the removal of the
constitutionally elected government in Egypt which has resulted in an
escalation of violence and condemned all acts of violence from whichever
side it emanates. Summit deplored the loss of human lives and destruction
of property. It called on all parties to exercise maximum restraint and
begin the process of inclusive dialogue and reconciliation and to urgently
work towards the return of constitutional normalcy. It expressed support
for the efforts of the African Union Commission and the AU High Level Panel
comprising former President Alpha Oumar Konare of Mali as Chair, former
President Festus Mogae of Botswana and former Prime Minister Dileita
Mohammed Dileita of Djibouti. Finally, Summit expressed its solidarity with
the entire people of Egypt in this challenging and sad chapter of their
national history.
24. Summit noted with concern that the economic performance of the
Region had slightly deteriorated, largely due to the economic and financial
slow down in industrialized countries, in particular in the Eurozone.
25. Summit received a report from the Ministerial task Force on
Regional Economic Integration outlining progress made on the SADC regional
economic integration agenda and reiterated its commitment to the
establishment of the Tripartite Free Trade Area. Summit noted the
finalization of the Industrial Development Policy Framework for the region.
26. Summit reviewed the status of the implementation of the Regional
Infrastructure Development Master Plan (RIDMP) adopted in 2012, and noted
progress made in marketing of the infrastructure projects elaborated by the
Master Plan through infrastructure investment conferences held within the
region and abroad. Summit also commended the Republic of Mozambique for
successfully organizing and hosting the SADC Regional Infrastructure
Investment Conference in June 2013.
27. Summit reviewed the Regional food security situation, in
particular cereal, non-cereal, livestock and fisheries production, and
noted that the Region will experience slight increases in these products.
Summit thus urged Member States to scale-up the implementation of
measures to increase agricultural production, reduce post-harvest losses
and improve the overall food and nutrition security in line with
Dar-es-Salaam Declaration on Agriculture and Food Security.
28. Summit noted progress in the implementation of the Maseru
Declaration of 2003 on combating HIV and AIDS, in particular, the reduction
of new infections and decline in AIDS related deaths. Summit urged Member
States to continue intensifying the mobilisation of domestic resources to
ensure sustainable financing for scaling up HIV and AIDS interventions.
29. Summit noted progress on the status of women representation in
political and decision making positions in SADC Member States. Summit
further commended Member States that have achieved high representation of
women in political and decision making positions, and urged those that have
not yet reached the target to do so.
30. Summit urged Member States to participate fully in the 20th UNWTO
General Assembly to be co-hosted by Zambia and Zimbabwe in Livingstone and
Victoria Falls during the last week of August, 2013.
31. Summit appointed H.E. Dr. Stergomena Lawrence Tax from the United
Republic of Tanzania to the position of SADC Executive Secretary.
32. Summit commended the Outgoing Executive Secretary H.E. Dr. Tomaz
Augusto Salomão, for his outstanding contribution and remarkable
achievements during his tenure of office and wished him well in his future
endeavours.
33. Summit mandated the Council of Ministers to conclude the process
of the appointment of Deputy Executive Secretary, Regional Integration by
the end of October 2013.
34. Summit expressed its appreciation to the Government and people of
Malawi for hosting the Summit and for the warm hospitality extended to all
the delegates.
35. Summit was officially closed by SADC Chairperson, H.E. President
Joyce Banda of the Republic of Malawi.
36. The Deputy Chairperson of Summit, H.E. Robert Gabriel Mugabe,
President of the Republic of Zimbabwe invited the Heads of State and
Government and all delegates to the next summit to be held in Zimbabwe in
August 2014.
Done in Lilongwe, Malawi.
August 18, 2013