Communiqué of the Extra-Ordinary Summit of the SADC Heads of State and Government, Sandton, Republic of South Africa

1. The Extra-Ordinary Summit of the SADC Heads of State and Government met in Sandton, Republic of South Africa on 9 November 2008.  The Extra-Ordinary Summit met to review the latest Political and Security situation in the Region with particular reference to the current developments in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Zimbabwe.

2. The Extra Ordinary Summit was chaired by H.E. Kgalema Motlanthe, President of the Republic of South Africa and the Chairperson of SADC.

3. The Extra-Ordinary Summit was attended by the following Heads of State and Government or their representatives:

DRC                                             H.E. President Joseph Kabila Deputy Chairperson of SADC

Lesotho                                        Right Honourable Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili

Mozambique                                 H.E. President Armando Emilio Guebuza, Deputy Chairperson
...................................................of the Organ and Acting Chairperson of the Organ

Namibia                                       H.E. President Hifikepunye Pohamba

South Africa                                 H.E. President Kgalema Motlanthe
                                                   Chairperson of SADC

Zimbabwe                                    H.E. President Robert Gabriel Mugabe

Botswana                                     His Honour Vice President Lieutenant General Mompati S. Merafhe

Swaziland                                    Right Honourable Prime Minister Dr. Sibusiso Barnabas Dlamini    

Angola                                         Honourable Assuncao A. De Sousa dos Anjos, Minister of Foreign Affairs.

United Republic of Tanzania           Honourable Bernard K. Membe, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation

Seychelles                                   Honourable Patrick Pillay, Minister of Foreign Affairs

Zambia                                        Honourable Kabinga J. Pande, Minister of Foreign Affairs

Malawi                                         H.E Agrina Mussa, High Commissioner to the Republic of South Africa

Mauritius                                      H.E. Mahomed Ismael Dossa, High Commissioner to the Republic of South Africa

Madagascar                                  H.E. Bary Rafatrolaza, Consul General of Madagascar in Cape Town, Republic of South Africa

4. The meeting was also attended by His Excellency Thabo Mbeki, Former President of the Republic of South Africa and Facilitator on the Zimbabwe Political Dialogue, Leaders of MDC Formations, Right Honourable Morgan Tsvangirai, Prime Minister Designate and Honourable Professor Arthur Mutambara, Deputy Prime Minister Designate of the Republic of Zimbabwe, and the Executive Secretary of SADC, Dr. Tomaz Augusto Salomão.

5. In his opening remarks, His Excellency President Kgalema Motlanthe of the Republic of South Africa and the Chairperson of SADC welcomed all delegates to the meeting and re-affirmed SADC's commitment in supporting peace and stability in the Region, in particular, DRC and Zimbabwe.

6. The Extra Ordinary Summit considered and endorsed the Joint Statement of Heads of State of the Great Lakes Region Summit of 7 November 2008 on the situation in DRC, in particular the following:

(i) immediate ceasefire by all the armed men and militia in North Kivu;

(ii) establishment of humanitarian  corridors throughout the area to ensure immediate address of the humanitarian crisis and tragedy;

(iii) immediate implementation of Nairobi Communiqué, Goma Agreement and all the relevant agreements and protocols to ensure sustainable peace and durable political stability;

(iv) the Summit of the Great Lakes Region called on the UN Secretary General to strengthen the mandate of the peacekeeping forces in DRC and provide adequate resources and be able to address the volatile situation;

(v) the Great Lakes Region would not stand by and witness incessant and destructive acts of violence by any armed groups against innocent people of DRC; if and when necessary the Great Lakes Region will send peacemaking forces into the Kivu Province of the DRC;

(vi) the Summit of the Great Lakes Region called on the UN and all humanitarian agencies that have shown great support for the victims of military violence to continue to sustain and increase their support until human tragedy is stopped.

7. The Extra Ordinary Summit noted that:

(i) the security situation in the DRC is affecting peace and stability in the SADC and the Great Lakes Regions;

(ii) the security and humanitarian situation is deteriorating in the Eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo;

(iii) many agreements entered into regarding peace and security in the Great Lakes Region were not implemented because of the intransigence of  Laurent Nkunda;

(iv) DRC Armed Forces need to be assisted in order to protect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the country;

8. In view of the above issues, the Extra Ordinary Summit resolved that:

(i) the SADC Team of Military Experts be deployed immediately to assess the situation in the Eastern DRC;

(ii) SADC should immediately provide assistance  to the Armed Forces of the DRC;

(iii) the SADC Military Advisory Team be deployed immediately to advise the Command of FARDC on matters which will be agreed by the Government of the DRC;

(iv) the SADC would not standby and witness incessant and destructive acts of violence by any armed groups  against innocent people of DRC, if and when necessary SADC will, within the Nairobi framework, send peace peacekeeping force into Kivu Province of the DRC;

(v) the SADC Military Monitoring Commission  be dispatched to the DRC immediately to monitor the border between DRC, Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda;

(vi) the SADC Troika of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation meet with the Troika of the Great Lakes Region expeditiously to avoid overlaps and map a joint way forward;

(vii) the Teams established by the Double Troika of Defence Sub Committee should implement their mandate of providing technical assistance in the DRC as a matter of urgency; and

(viii) the deployed Teams should report to SADC via the Organ Troika.

9. The Extra Ordinary Summit decided to have a SADC representative in the mediation mechanism established by the Great Lakes Region for the DRC to be based in Nairobi, Kenya, with immediate effect. 

10. The Extra Ordinary Summit considered the political and security situation in Zimbabwe and observed that no government has been formed subsequent to the holding of the elections and the signing of the Global Political Agreement. As a result, the country is unable to effectively address the challenges facing the people of Zimbabwe.

11. In view of the above, Summit decided that:

(i) the Inclusive Government be formed forthwith in Zimbabwe;

(ii) the Ministry of Home Affairs be co-managed between the ZANU-PF and MDC-T;

(ii) the efficacy of the arrangement referred to in paragraph 2 above, be reviewed after six (6) months by the Parties with the assistance of the guarantors, SADC, AU and the Facilitator.

(iv) to give effect to these decisions and the provisions of the Global Political Agreement, the Parties must, without any further delay, introduce the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment Number 19.

12. The Extra-Ordinary Summit appreciated the efforts of His Excellency Thabo Mbeki, Former President of the Republic of South Africa and the Facilitator of the Political Dialogue on Zimbabwe in finding an amicable solution to challenges facing the Republic of Zimbabwe and encouraged him to continue with his mediation efforts.

13. The Extra-Ordinary Summit will continuously remain seized with the ongoing political situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Zimbabwe.

14. The Extra-Ordinary Summit congratulated the Republic of Zambia for the professionally managed credible presidential by-elections held on 30 October 2008 and wished H.E. Rupiah Banda, President of the Republic of Zambia well in his new role as Head of State.

15. His Excellency President Kgalema Motlanthe officially closed the Extra-Ordinary Summit.

Sandton, Republic of South Africa
09 November 2008

Issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs November 10 2008