SADC development should start with eliminating poverty - Joyce Banda
By Christopher Miti in Lilongwe, Malawi
Sun 18 Aug. 2013, 14:01 CAT
MALAWIAN President Joyce Banda says achieving economic development in the SADC region must start by winning the war against poverty. And Southern African Development Community delegates yesterday cheered Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe during introductions.
In her acceptance speech after taking over the SADC chairmanship from Mozambican President Armando Guebuza at the Bingu International Conference Centre yesterday, President Banda said many people in the region struggle to survive the condition of poverty.
She said the expectation of the people from the SADC region was very high.
"Millions of our young people in the region face severe troubles to survive. They do not have jobs, they don't go to school. Millions of our men and women struggle to survive the conditions of poverty and unemployment. They die from preventable diseases," President Banda said.
She said SADC must continue fighting the war against poverty and other vices that were affecting the people.
President Banda also appealed to SADC member countries to promote inclusive politics.
"We cannot afford to leave the poor to look after the poor. As chair of this great community, I would like to try initiatives that would bring SADC closer to the people for whom it works. In short we want a SADC for the people and of the people," President Banda said.
She said there was need for the region to move towards regional integration.
President Banda congratulated her predecessor for a wonderful performance during his tenure as chairman of SADC.
She said she would focus on agriculture development and agro industries during her tenure.
President Banda said it was time for SADC to focus on agriculture for economic development.
She also said she would complement the work of the outgoing chairman on developing corridors within the course of SADC regional integration.
President Banda said SADC had done very well in promoting women in leadership positions.
Earlier during introductions, delegates cheered President Mugabe when he was introduced at the beginning of the summit.
After discovering that delegates were cheering him, Mugabe stood and waved at them.
President Mugabe recently won the presidential election in Zimbabwe for another five-year term. The 89-year-old leader has been in power since 1980 when the country gained independence from Britain.
Zambia is being represented by Vice-President Dr Guy Scott, Dr Ngosa Simbyakula and Keith Mukata.
The summit is expected to come to an end today, with several SADC journalists, including this author, being awarded in different categories.
Meanwhile, the civil society in Zambia has petitioned SADC to table the issue of the just ended Zimbabwe elections during the on-going Lilongwe summit.
The civil society has also called for the commissioning of an independent election audit with a view of clearing alleged malpractices in the recently held general elections in Zimbabwe.
Ten civil society organisations stated in a statement issued in Lusaka yesterday that taking stock of what happened in the Zimbabwe election at the summit would help clear the air on alleged malpractices by stakeholders that participated in the polls.
"As civil society organizations in Zambia that observed and analyzed the just ended harmonised elections in Zimbabwe, we demand that as the SADC Heads of State Summit takes place in Lilongwe, Malawi this weekend, the regional body tables the just ended Zimbabwe harmonised elections at the summit and commissions an independent election audit on the Zimbabwean elections to clear the alleged irregularities cited by the various stakeholders who participated in the elections either as candidates, agents and or observers," the statement stated.
The ten civil society organizations include the Foundation for Democratic Process, the Southern African Center for Constructive Resolution of Disputes, Gallant Youth Zambia Foundation, Zambia National Women's Lobby and Operation Young Vote. Others are Anti-Voter Apathy Project, Young African Leaders Initiatives, Chikondi Foundation, Democratic Governance and Human Rights Advocates and the Constituency Plan of Action for Children.
"We also demand that SADC puts in place a mechanism to respect the provisions of the regional, continental protocols, guidelines and treaties governing democratic elections in the region by members states and the regional body that harmonises national laws on elections with those of the regional and continental standards," the civil society organisations stated.
Labels: ARMANDO GUEBUZA, JOYCE BANDA, POVERTY, SADC
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(TALKZIMBABWE) Zimbabwe no longer on Sadc agenda
This article was written by Our reporter on 9 August, at 00 : 24 AM
ZIMBABWE has been struck off the Sadc agenda after successfully holding the just-ended harmonised elections in conformity with the bloc’s principles and guidelines governing the conduct of democratic polls, Sadc chairperson and Mozambican President Armando Emilio Guebuza has said.
In his congratulatory message to President Mugabe and Zanu-PF on the occasion of their resounding victory that sent shockwaves in Western corridors of power, Guebuza said the victory was poised to deliver greater prosperity to Zimbabwe.
“Your victory and that of Zanu-PF in a landslide manner at the 31st July 2013 harmonised and Sadc rules-based elections create the conditions for striking your great country out of the Sadc Agenda, as a stand-alone political item,” he said.
The 33rd Ordinary Summit of Sadc Heads of State and Government is slated for Lilongwe, Malawi, from August 17 to 18 and is expected to be seized with a wide range of regional issues, among them the appointment of a new leadership for the secretariat as executive secretary Dr Tomaz Salamao is coming to the end of his second four-year term.
The summit is also expected to discuss a report of the Ministerial Task Force on Regional Economic Integration, among other things.
Zimbabwe is likely to be mentioned only as per the bloc’s tradition of congratulating member-states that would have held successful elections in between summits.
The highly-subscribed harmonised elections have since been endorsed by the bloc’s chairman Guebuza, Troika chairperson Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania, GPA facilitator Jacob Zuma of South Africa, the 573-member Sadc Election Observer Mission that was led by Bernard Membe who is also foreign affairs minister of Tanzania, as well as the Sadc Parliamentary Forum.
The Sadc Electoral Commissions Forum Observer Mission that was chaired by Advocate Notemba Tjipuena, chair of the Electoral Commission of Nambia, and which comprised of poll commissions from Botswana, DRC, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia and Zanzibar, also endorsed the elections as free and fair.
The United Nations, African Union, Comesa and the African Caribbean and Pacific countries also endorsed the elections.
Analysts said Zanu-PF’s resounding victory that reaffirmed the faith Zimbabweans vested in the revolution party meant Sadc’s facilitation that began with an extraordinary summit held on March 31 2007 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, had come to its logical conclusion.
The Dar es Salaam extraordinary summit tasked the then South African President Thabo Mbeki to mediate between Zanu-PF and the MDC formations in the wake of MDC-T’s “defiance campaign” that led to running battles in Highfield, Harare.
Mbeki’s mediation culminated in the signing of the inter-party political agreement, the GPA that laid the framework of the inclusive Government that assumed office in February 2009 with a brief to foster an environment of political and socio-economic stability in readiness for fresh elections.
This followed the inconclusive March 31 harmonised elections that produced a hung Parliament.
Labels: ARMANDO GUEBUZA, SADC, THABO MBEKI, ZIMBABWE
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(NEWZIMBABWE) Mozambique’s Guebuza endorses elections
07/08/2013 00:00:00
by Staff Reporter
MOZAMBIQUE President Armando Guebuza has congratulated President Robert Mugabe on his election victory, joining other regional countries in endorsing the vote which has been rejected as fraudulant by the opposition.
Mugabe scored a landslide victory, claiming 61 percent of the presidential vote to beat bitter rival Morgan Tsvangirai who got 34 percent. Mugabe’s Zanu PF also won a super majority in Parliament which allows it to change the country’s constitution.
Tsvangirai has rejected the results and vowed to challenge the vote in the country’s courts.
In his message to Mugabe, Mozambican leader Armando Guebuza, who also chairs the regional SADC grouping, said: “We would like to congratulate you, Mr President, on your re-election as President of the Republic of Zimbabwe.
“Your victory and that of the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (Zanu PF), in a landslide manner, at the 31st July 2013 harmonised and SADC rules-based elections, create the conditions for striking your great country out of the SADC agenda, as a stand-alone political item.
Guebuza said Zimbabwe should be commended for holding orderly and peaceful elections and urged the country’s leaders to continue to work together.
“We, in SADC, are also very proud and pleased that the political leaders of your beautiful country came together to provide the region and the world with this landmark event,” he said.
“Now you can all show the region and the world that you can continue working closely together to deliver greater prosperity to Zimbabwe and play your increasingly important role in SADC and in other international fora.
“While wishing you good health and success in the discharge of your noble duties, Mozambique and Sadc will remain Zimbabwe’s partners in facing the new, many and complex challenges ahead.”
Western countries – led by the US, the UK and Australia have expressed grave concerns over the elections but Zimbabwe’s neighbours have endorsed the vote with the exception of Botswana which demanded an audit of the vote.
Zanu PF has dismissed Botswana’s demand as “thoroughly stupid”.
Labels: 2013 ELECTIONS (ZW), ARMANDO GUEBUZA, MOZAMBIQUE, ROBERT MUGABE
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(NEWZIMBABWE) Renamo leader says ready for talks
04/07/2013 00:00:00
by AFP
MOZAMBIQUE’S former rebel commander said Wednesday he was prepared to leave his bush camp for talks with the government after strained relations boiled over into deadly violence this year.
"The day President Guebuza withdraws the forces that are encircling Satunjira, Gorongosa, I can go to Maputo. It could be tomorrow [Thursday]," Afonso Dhlakama, president of Renamo, said from his camp in the centre of the country.
Bloody clashes since April marked increasingly strained relations between ruling party Frelimo and Renamo, which is also the official opposition.
On Sunday, President Armando Guebuza said he was willing to meet with Dhlakama, 60, in the capital.
Thousands of army troops and crack riot police contingents converged around Dhlakama's base after armed men attacked civilian vehicles travelling along the country's main north-south highway late June.
Renamo had threatened such actions, but denied responsibility for the attacks.
"Since (Guebuza) has problems pulling his troops out I invite him to come to Gorongosa … so that we can bring this to an end. Because I cannot be fingered for blame when I am not guilty," Dhlakama said in a statement broadcast by independent television TIM.
His movement demands a change in electoral laws, which it claims unfairly privileges Frelimo.
It also wants more representation of its soldiers in the country's armed forces.
Several rounds of talks between their movements failed, the latest last Monday.
The unofficial ceasefire as well as parliament's announcement of an extra-ordinary session to allow Renamo deputies to table changes to the election law may signal a thaw in relations.
Though the government has played down the violence, there are fears of a return to a 16-year civil war that had destroyed the economy and killed one million people by the time it ended in 1992.
But Dhlakama signalled bringing him back from political isolation would not be easy.
He slammed his Frelimo counterpart as "not a serious leader".
Guebuza, in power since 2005, has meanwhile come under fire for his lack of negotiation.
Independent local media have branded him "arrogant".
"Guebuza has gained a reputation for being an anti-dialogue person and needs to use this opportunity to change perceptions," Victor Igreja, researcher with the University of Queensland, told AFP.
Frelimo won 75% of the vote in 2009-polls, but has been criticised for politicising the state and corruption.
Labels: ARMANDO GUEBUZA, MOZAMBIQUE, RENAMO
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Zuma to brief Troika on progress in Zimbabwe
Friday, 07 December 2012 23:07
Herald Reporter
Sadc facilitator president Jacob Zuma of South Africa is expected to brief the Troika meeting that began in Tanzania yesterday on progress made in Zimbabwe.
He will update the Troika, at its two-day meeting on political developments in Zimbabwe after which the Sadc chair President Armando Guebuza will brief the full summit.
In a statement posted on his website, President Zuma said: “The issues to be considered by the Troika, the Double Troika and the full Summit include the crisis in the eastern part of the DRC.
The Extra-Ordinary Summit is also expected to discuss the situations in Madagascar and Zimbabwe.
“South Africa will be expected to report on the facilitation process in the Republic of Zimbabwe, while the chair of Sadc will report to the Summit on the mediation process in Madagascar.”
South Africa’s International Relations and Co-operation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane accompanied President Zuma to the summit.
President Zuma has been facilitating dialogue between Zimbabwe’s coalition parties over a roadmap that should lead to harmonised elections scheduled for March next year.
Zanu-PF and the MDC formations are trying to reach a deal over the country’s new constitution, which is one of the benchmarks agreed by parties in the inclusive Government before the next elections.
The parties recently agreed to form a leaner committee that should deal with contested issues in the Copac second all-stakeholders conference report.
The committee comprises Justice and Legal Affairs Minister Patrick Chinamasa (Zanu-PF), Finance Minister Tendai Biti (MDC-T) and Regional Integration and International Co-operation Minister Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga (MDC).
Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Eric Matinenga, who also sits in the committee as chairperson, said they needed a week to unlock the deadlock.
The committee is expected to submit its recommendations to GPA principals who will have the final say on the constitution-making process.
Labels: ARMANDO GUEBUZA, JACOB ZUMA, SADC
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Tsvangirai ends Cabinet boycott
Nancy Pasipanodya
Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:54:00 +0000
PRIME Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and his Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) have called off their boycott of the inclusive Government with President Robert Mugabe The suspension of their "disengagement" comes only a week after President Mugabe indicated that they will return to Government.
The Zanu PF party had described the boycott as "cheap propaganda" and "
all sound and fury, signifying nothing". The MDC-T had been on strike since October 16 over the indictment of that party's treasurer and financier, Roy Bennett, on weapons charges.
PM Tsvangirai said his party will review their position after 30 days adding that they expected President Mugabe to deal with "the pertinent issues we are concerned about".
"We have suspended our disengagement from the GPA (Global Political Agreement) with immediate effect and we will give President Robert Mugabe 30 days to implement the agreement on the pertinent issues we are concerned about," he said.
He did not mention what course of action MDC-T would take if the issues he wanted addressed were not dealt with to his party's satisfaction at the expiry of the 30 days.
The prime minister was speaking after a regional Southern African Development Community (Sadc) summit in Maputo, Mozambique's capital.
Four heads of state from the regional grouping met to review the general political situation in the DRC, Lesotho, Madagascar and Zimbabwe.
PM Tsvangirai, deputy prime ministers Arthur Mutambara and Thokozani Khupe also attended together with negotiators to the all-party talks.
The Sadc heads had earlier indicated that the Zimbabwean problems were not insurmountable and the parties to the Global Political Agreement could resolve these issues internally.
Opening the summit, President Armando Guebuza, who chairs the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security (the Troika), said Zanu PF and the two MDC formations had shown commitment to resolving their differences and maintaining political stability for the country’s economic recovery.
He said indications were the parties "share more common views than disagreements".
President Guebuza said they should work on strengthening areas of convergence for the benefit of Zimbabweans and Southern Africa.
The Mozambican leader made similar observations on the political situation in Lesotho.
The summit's final communique urged the Zimbabwe parties to hold talks "with immediate effect within 15 days (and) not beyond 30 days" that would include all outstanding issues related to the implementation of the unity pact.
"The parties should not allow the situation to deteriorate any further," it said.
Labels: ARMANDO GUEBUZA, MORGAN TSVANGIRAI, MUGABE, NATIONAL UNITY GOVERNMENT, SADC
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President Rupiah Banda elected Deputy Chairperson of SADC
Wednesday, September 9, 2009, 12:36 Headlines 505 views 33 comments President Rupiah Banda
President Rupiah Banda has been elected Deputy Chairperson of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Organ of Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation.
President Banda, who was elected in his absentia, and his Mozambican counterpart, Armando Guebuza, who was also elected as the chairperson of the Organ, will run the affairs of the organ for the next one year.
This was announced last night in a communiqué during the closure of the 29th ordinary session of the SADC heads of state and government at the African Union (AU) village in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The summit also congratulated President Banda and his South African and Malawian counterparts, Jacob Zuma and Bingu wa Mutharika respectively for winning the elections in their respective countries.
In his speech during the official opening of the summit, on September 7, 2009 (Monday) Mr. Banda, said given the given the prevailing peace and political stability underpinned by good governance and the right economic policy environment, SADC could perform to its full potential.
Mr. Banda, who is also outgoing member of the SADC troika, noted that a lot had been achieved in the region since the body was established as the Southern African Coordinating Committee (SADCC) in the early 1980s.
The 29th ordinary SADC summit also renewed the appointment of Dr. Thomaz Salamao as Executive Secretary and Joao Chaholo as his Deputy for Regional integration.
Earlier during the opening session, Dr. Salamao reported that the region had been negatively affected by the global economic crisis and that the new SADC headquarters had been completed and secretariat staff had since moved to the new building in Botswana.
The summit also noted the speech by outgoing SADC chairperson, President Jacob Zuma, who highlighted several positive developments in the socioeconomic and political areas of the region during his country’s tenure of office.
In his report, Mr. Zuma pointed out the challenges facing the region, including the impact of the climate change, global financial and economic crisis, and urged member states to continue the joint efforts in addressing the issues.
On the political front, Mr. Zuma urged SADC member states to collectively tackle the challenges in Lesotho, Madagascar and Zimbabwe.
The summit also received a report from outgoing chairperson of the organ of Politics, Defence and Security, His Majesty King Mswati III of the Kingdom of Swaziland.
The report stated that the region was peaceful and stable.
However, King Mswati’s report observed that there were some security and political challenges in a few parts of the region, especially the Kingdom of Lesotho, Madagascar and Zimbabwe, which he said were being effectively addressed.
In the same vain, the summit noted the progress made in the implementation of the Global Political Agreement and called on the international community to remove all sanctions on Zimbabwe.
On Madagascar, the summit noted the progress made in an effort to restore constitutional order in that country, and commended former Mozambican President, Joachim Chissano, who is facilitating the reinstitution of democratic leadership in that country for the progress made so far.
The Heads of State and Government, also expressed concern at the attempts to undermine the agreements signed in Maputo by Malagasy political movements on August 9, 2009, and reiterated their decision on the suspension of Madagascar from SADC until the restoration of constitutional order in that country.
However, the summit also reiterated its support to the current political dialogue in Madagascar, and urged all political stakeholders in that country to fully implement the Maputo agreements.
The SADC ordinary summit also supported Malawi’s candidature to be the next African Union, AU, chairperson.
The SADC leaders also noted the report of former Botswana President, Sir Ketumire Masire, and commended him for his efforts in the post electoral political dialogue in Lesotho, and urged all the Basotho stakeholders to the dialogue to continue engaging in the process.
The summit noted the consolidation and political stability in the region, with particular emphasis on the free and fair manner in which the peoples of Angola, Malawi, Swaziland, South Africa and Zambia exercised their franchise during the elections last year and this year in the presidential, parliamentary, provincial and local government.
The summit also appreciated that Botswana, Mozambique and Namibia were now set to hold their elections during the last quarter of this year and wished them well during and after the polls.
The progress report made towards the achievement of the 50 per cent representation of women in political and decision making positions at all levels in line with the 2005 decision was also considered by SADC members who further urged those countries still to hold elections to ensure the gender parity goal, and congratulated Malawi for appointing a female vice president after elections in May this year.
The Heads of State and Government also noted progress made in the implementation of the SADC Free Trade Area (FTA) and in the preparations for the negotiations of SADC Customs Union, and urged the Ministerial Task Force on Regional Economic Integration to ensure that outstanding issues are effectively addressed.
The Task Force on Regional Economic Integration will meet in a Strategic Forum before the end of this year to further examine the regional economic integration agenda.
The prevailing food security situation in the region was also reviewed and it was reported that the SADC region estimated cereal surpluses in Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique and South Africa, although access to food and malnutrition at household level remains a challenge.
The summit approved and signed the Memorandum of Understanding on regional cooperation and integration among the COMESA, East African Community (EAU) and SADC.
The Agreement and amendment of the Treaty of the SADC Deputy Executive Secretaries was also approved and signed together with the Protocol on Politics, Defence and Security, Cooperation and consequential amendments to the Treaty.
The declaration of Regional Cooperation in Competition and Consumer Laws and Policies, and the Amendment of the Protocol on Development of Tourism in the SADC region was also approved and signed.
President Joseph Kabila of the Democratic Republic of Congo is the new chairperson for SADC and is deputized by his Namibian counterpart, Hifikepunye Pohamba.
ZANIS
Labels: ARMANDO GUEBUZA, RUPIAH BANDA, SADC
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