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Mukudzei Chingwere-Herald Reporter

SADC is committed to achieving lasting peace, security, reconciliation and development in Mozambique with the ongoing Extraordinary Troika Summit, which will culminate in the meeting of Heads of State and Government tomorrow, an expression of the region’s resolve to tackle insurgency in the country.

The extraordinary Sadc Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation meeting, that will be convened in Mozambique comes at a time when the region recommended robust action to be taken to tackle the threat of extremism and terrorism in Mozambique.

Following the double Sadc Troika held in Mozambique on the 8th of this month, President Mnangagwa, who is the outgoing SADC chair for Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation (Sadc Troika) signalled that regional military support for Mozambique may be on the way in its fight against Islamic State-aligned extremists in the Cabo Delgado region.

Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi is the current chair of the Sadc Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa  the incoming chairperson.

Along with President Mnangagwa, the three form the Troika.

Three weeks ago, the Double Troika Plus Angola Technical Assessment Mission was tasked with considering what form of support Mozambique needed to contain the insurgency threat which has destabilised its northern Cabo Delgado region.

While heads of States and Government will congregate in the Mozambican city of Beira tomorrow, yesterday regional security chiefs met as the technical team as per the Double Troika recommendations that were made on April 8.

Today, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Ambassador Fredrick Shava, who is the Chairperson of the Ministerial Committee of the Sadc Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation will join his counterparts from Mozambique, South Africa and Botswana in the high level meeting to consider the recommendations from the technical teams that is comprised of security chiefs.

“This important Ministerial Troika meeting will be held pursuant to the decision of the Sadc Double Troika Summit held in Mozambique on April 8 which directed an immediate SADC Organ technical deployment to the Republic of Mozambique and the convening of the Extraordinary meeting of the Ministerial Organ Troika by April 28 to consider the outcome of the technical deployment and report to the Extraordinary Troika,” read a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade in part.

The four ministers are expected to consider deliberations of the chiefs of defence, police, and intelligence. In the SADC communiqué that was issued after last the Double Troika Summit, it was decided on a “technical deployment” to be dispatched immediately to Cabo Delgado, followed by another extraordinary meeting on April 28.

The communiqué also noted the “acts of terrorism perpetrated against innocent civilians, women and children in some of the districts of Cabo Delgado Province,” and “affirmed that such heinous attacks cannot be allowed to continue without a proportionate regional response”.

The Sadc Organ on Politics Defence and Security Cooperation is responsible for promoting peace and security in the region. It is mandated to steer and provide member states with direction on matters that threaten the stability of the bloc.