SADC executive secretary talks peace with top UN Africa official

125

Just two months into the most senior position in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) as executive secretary, Elias Magosi this week virtually met the senior UN official for Africa to talk peace, security, democracy and good governance.

Martha Pobee is UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ top official on the continent where six of the world body’s 12 current peacekeeping missions are currently operational. They are MINURSO (Western Sahara), MINUSCA (Central African Republic), MINUSMA (Mali), MONUSCO (Democratic Republic of Congo), UNMISS (South Sudan) and UNISFA (Abyei).

On the agenda was the regional bloc’s involvement in northern Mozambique via SAMIM (SADC Mission in Mozambique) with Magosi, according to an SADC communique, informing the UN official it was continuing for a further three months. Support for SAMIM is sourced from SADC members as “the activity is member states-driven particularly on personnel, equipment and financial resources as well as technical support through deployment of troops”.

He expressed the regional bloc’s appreciation for support from the UN adding SADC was open to “continued collaboration and engagement in fostering a stronger mutual relationship between the inter-governmental bodies”.

The UN official heard the SADC regional indicative strategic development plan (RISDP) 2020–2030 aimed to enhance conflict prevention, management and resolution mechanisms as well as strengthen political co-operation and enhance democracy, good governance, rule of law, human rights and human security. Other RISDP aims are enhancing collective defence and security systems capable of safeguarding territorial integrity of the southern African region.