‘Sadc Summit to decisively deal with Mozambique security situation’

Maputo, (New Ziana) – The Southern African Development Community (Sadc) will decisively deal with the security situation in Mozambique at its full summit early next year, President Emmerson Mnangagwa said on Monday.

Mozambique is battling a growing Islamist insurgency in the north of the country which has resulted in the death of tens of thousands, and displacement of hundreds of thousands others.

The insurgency, around the gas-rich Cabo Delgado region, is gaining in momentum, with potential to spread to some of Mozambique’s neighbours.

It is this which has prompted SADC to weigh various options to assist Mozambique, a member state, to deal with the insurgency, including military assistance.

President Mnangagwa, who attended Monday’s one-day meeting together with President’s Mokgweetsi Masisi of Botswana and Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa, who make up the Sadc Troika on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, said Mozambican leader Felipe Nyusi had told the meeting the situation in Cabo Delgado had slightly improved, with three western governments also having offered support.

“Regarding the security situation in Mozambique, President Nyusi told us that the UK government, the Irish government and Portugal and the Americans had approached Mozambique to want to give support and the discussions are still going on as to what support they could give,” President Mnangagwa told reporters after the meeting.

“The President of Mozambique is of the view that perhaps they may give humanitarian support because there is quite a sizeable number of people who were displaced. As regards the general security situation in the country, it’s a Sadc issue which will be discussed in March next year.”

The meeting was a follow up on one held in Gaborone late last month, which President Nyusi had failed to attend due to other commitments.

A representative of the Tanzanian government, which has also been affected by the insurgency, also attended the meeting.

Sadc, which is leaning towards military action to deal with the insurgency, has asked Mozambique to provide a comprehensive briefing on its needs.
New Ziana