The Executive Secretary of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), His Excellency Mr Elias M. Magosi, on 11th April 2022, paid a courtesy call on His Excellency Mr Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Incoming Chairperson of SADC, at State House in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The courtesy is part of the SADC Executive Secretary’s programme to introduce himself to the Presidents, share his ideas about the Secretariat’s role and how to expedite regional integration, peace and security; and seek guidance. The SADC Executive Secretary has so far, paid courtesy calls on their Excellencies for the Republics of Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa and Namibia.
President Tshilombo welcomed the SADC Executive Secretary, and commended him for the proactive approach to the work of the Secretariat, and for proposing new and innovative ideas. “I can see you are very ambitious. Count on the support of the DRC because your success is our success as a region,” H.E. Tshisekedi assured the SADC Executive Secretary.
During the meeting, H.E. Tshilombo, who was accompanied by the Minister of Regional Integration, Mr. Didier Mazenga Mukanzu, highlighted the DRC’s priorities in support of regional peace and integration, and indicated his readiness to steer the regional community during his tenure as Chairperson. The President also committed to further enhance efforts towards maintaining and sustaining peace and stability in the SADC region once he assumes the role of Chairperson of SADC.
President Tshisekedi Tshilombo, will assume the Chair of SADC during the SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government to be held in August 2022 in the DRC. The Chairperson of the SADC is rotated on an annual basis, and currently, His Excellency Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, President of the Republic of Malawi, is the Chairperson, while H.E. Mr. Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, President of the Republic of Mozambique is the Outgoing Chairperson.
H.E. Magosi is the seventh Executive Secretary of SADC who assumed his position on 1st September, 2021, following his appointment at the 41st SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government held in Lilongwe, Malawi in August, 2021.
The SADC Executive Secretary was accompanied by the Director for Policy Planning and Resource Mobilisation, Dr Mubita Luwabelwa, the Head of Communications and Public Relations Unit Ms Barbara Lopi, the Head of Conference Services Unit Mr Emmanuel Liwimbi, and the Senior French Translator Mr Francois Kalumba from the SADC Secretariat.
