Luanda — The Southern Africa Development Countries (SADC)'s Standby Brigade is ready to intervene in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Madagascar, in order to restore peace and stability in those states.

This information was given last Sunday in Luanda by the head of the mission of SADC's military exercise dubbed Dolphin Phase I Mapex, Matthendele Moses Dlamini.

The exercise is happening in Cabo Ledo locality, in the northern Bengo Province, and it will bring together effectives of the armed forces and police from the member states of the regional community.

According to Mathendele Dlamini, the SADC Standby Brigade is ready to intervene in DRC and Madagascar, whose countries currently face conflict situations.

According to him, this institution should function as an important peacekeeping element of the African states.

Dolphin (Golfinho in Portuguese) Phase I Mapex is a joint and integrated military exercise aimed at preparing the SADC Standby Brigade for peace-keeping operations in a multidimensional way, in accordance with the programme of the African Union (AU)'s

standby forces.

The task of the Standby Brigade consists of observing and controlling, support to peace, intervention in a member state in order to restore peace and security, prevention of disputes or conflicts in any manner, thereby preventing it from worsening or spreading to neighbouring states or areas, provision of humanitarian assistance, post-conflict disarmament and demobilisation.

Based in their respective countries, the personnel belonging to the stand-by brigade should only move when requested for any action or mission of peace.

SADC comprises Angola, South Africa, Botswana, Mauritius, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Madagascar, Namibia, DRC, Congo, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe.