Southern African Development Community (Gaborone)
10 November 2008
document
Johannesburg — 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:
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:
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:
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
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"Total Empowerment!", "African Solutions for Africans!", empty slogans by a dying generation of liberation leaders who have shown an incredible lack of intestinal fortitude by ducking their heads in the sand and hoping the problem of Zimbabwe will just go away.
Because of the SADC's decision to side w/ ZANU-PF/Mugabe, Zimbabwe is now "totally empowered" to starve. ZANU-PF/Mugabe will hold ever more tightly to the strings of power. The "African Solution" is to allow ZANU-PF/Mugabe to continue to rape, torture and murder anyone who opposes them! Once again, African leaders have failed to solve one of their own regional problems, are they the ones who will have to clean up the resulting mess they have created? I think not.
Who is going to help feed the estimated 6 million Zimbabweans who will require food aid because of ZANU-PF/Mugabe's failed land redistribution/agricultural policies? Who is going to provide the HIV/AIDs drugs to care for the afflicted in Zimbabwe? Who is going to provide foreign currency to Zimbabwe's ZBC to stabilize a currency that is not worth the paper it's printed on? Who's going to fix the sewers so that people don't die from Cholera? Who's going to supply and staff the hospitals? The schools?
Will any of the SADC's members like South Africa, Mozambique, Angola be able to stem the rising tide of refugees fleeing Mugabe's murderous thugs? Will any of them commit to financing the large scale food aid that Zimbabwe will need as the country continues to implode?
Demonizing the West makes for catchy political slogans, nothing more. SADC has embarrassed all of Africa and has shown why "African Solutions for Africans" don't work. No one will make a tough decision, no one will pressure ZANU-PF/Mugabe for whatever reason. SADC has failed to provide an "African Solution", what they're advocating is no solution at all.
Problem is: Zimbabwe will suffer for the lack of principles of SADC. Then Zimbabweans will flood the countries of the very people who betrayed their hope of a new democratic future for Africa. Without strong leadership (as opposed to strong leaders....) Zimbabwe is doomed to more failures on the part of ZANU-PF's so-called "leadership".
As if we thought things could not get worse in Zimbabwe, watch out, here it comes. MDC-T is likely to back out of the GNU agreement, they owe nothing to the SADC. It's time for them to sit in "loyal" opposition in Parliament. Let ZANU-PF/Mugabe attempt to "govern" without their consent. Let ZANU-PF/Mugabe attempt to pass legislation through Parliament. Let Parliament begin to open investigations of ZANU-PF/Mugabe regarding political violence, ZBC "stealing" foreign aid money from the people to finance ZANU-PF activities. Force Mugabe to suspend Parliament and show his true dictatorial colors to the rest of the world!
In the meantime, inflation will continue to skyrocket faster than the RBZ can print money. The banknotes in Zimbabwe will soon have more zeroes than there are decimal points in Pi! Forex alone cannot sustain the economy - RBZ hasn't paid the mines for over a year, so the mines are closing, and RBZ is losing out on more foreign currency as a result. People are going to get hungry - including the Army and the War Vets and the Green Bombers.
It's almost like Comrade Bob and the Politburo are saying "let them eat cake", and we all know how that story ended............
SADC had a chance to stop this from happening, but they couldn't and now all of Africa, and the rest of the world, will see what a dismal failure they are.
"Total Empowerment!" for the people of Zimbabwe to starve, die of easily treated diseases or be beaten, raped or tortured to death! Be proud of Africa, Africans! You have shown the imperialist West your mettle! You have shown the world that you can handle your own affairs........... you certainly don't need any assistance from the neo-colonial, imperialist, running-dog capitalists of the West now - you are totally empowered!
"Total Empowerment!"
SADC should be shamed for showing its inability to align itself with the will of the majority of Zimbos! It's a total abdication of its moral obligation to promote genuine democracy. SADC is backing a monster, a murderer, an imposter illegitimate confiscator of power!
We should not be surprised if Congo is going through civil war and that it may in due course spread over also into Zimbabwe.
MDC should feel emboldened to return to the grassroot and cultivate an alliance with progressive forces in the region in order to promote the emergence of a new progressive political force that can carry forward the peoples' wish.
Down with monster Mugabe and his cronies!
As a matter of principle SADC has not sided with Mugabe but has made its own ruling. We now have a SADC position that the parties can now factor into their own decision making. In my opinion the parties must respect the SADC ruling for the sake of the people and not allow their petty pride to prolong the totally unnecessary misery and suffering.
The SADC is waste of our tax money. These leaders have blood on their hands and Mugabe would not be doing what he does if he did not have their support. Just a bunch of fleas sucking on the dying southern African country. Many see a democratic and vibrant Zimbabwe as a threat to their own survival. Its disgusting. The AU is no better. The only solution now is the UN.
Hey brother where are you coming from. You only believe in the whiteman thats why probably you are here to clean their old people. Whats so special about Morgan, remember Robert was forced by Samora to attend the Lancaster coference which brought all these problems we have. So what special about the uneducated, inexperienced big headed little man who wants to see the population suffer because he wants to be the headboy. Obama does not negotiate with bush because he beat him resoundingly at the ballot. Why did your little president bulk at the last moment, as usual . Whose lives was he protecting and only to kill them with sanctions and his stupid utterances. Whose lives when i lost my entire family at the hands of Smith. Where was Morgan when brave guys where dying in anthrax painful deaths. Where was morgan when peolple perished in the protected villages. Where was morgan when guys where being hanged in one wat trials. Suppose you will tell me it was war. Then its war now. Morgan is actually getting what he doesnt deserve. He may show some intelligence by speaking to his friend Odinga who killed 200 people to be prime minister. Morgan you will not kill anyone anymore. Go into parliament and show that you reason and you may get my vote next time. To my brother SADc is not useless you are.
sorry i wasnt aware that you only deserve to have the respect of the people because you fought in a war, geez the ancient greeks got democracy all wrong didnt they. Maybe we need world war 3 that every democratic country will have a legitimate president not long after. Better yet, how about you show some common sense and stop denying the truth about the Murderous fiend that the good people of Zimbabwe are forced to support.
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