15th September 2017; The Double Troika Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) has strongly condemned the brutal assassination of Lt Gen Khoantle Motšomotšo, Commander of the Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) of the Kingdom of Lesotho and urged the Kingdom to expedite investigations into the assassinations.
The Summit which was convened following recent political and security developments in the mountain kingdom, approved the deployment of a Contingent Force comprising military, security, intelligence and civilian experts to support the Government of the Kingdom of Lesotho.
The Summit was held at OR Tambo Building, Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) in Pretoria, in the Republic of South Africa on 15th September 2017.
The Summit received a report of the Ministerial Fact Finding Mission and noted the volatile security situation and its implications for the political stability of the Kingdom of Lesotho.
In a Communique released at the end of the Summit, the Double Troika Heads of State and Government or their representatives, noted that there was an urgent need to assist the Kingdom in restoring law and order, and a peaceful environment conducive to among others, the implementation of SADC decisions specifically, Security Sector and Constitutional Reforms, as well as the recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry.
Summit maintained the terms of reference and composition of the Oversight Committee as approved by the 37th SADC Ordinary Summit, and in the interim, approved an expanded mandate and composition of a total of 34 members of the Oversight Committee to include military, security, intelligence and civilian experts to be deployed to Lesotho immediately for a period of one month.
Summit commended the Government of Angola, the Chairperson of the Organ on Politics Defence and Security Cooperation, H.E Eduardo Dos Santos for his prompt action, and generosity in facilitating the fact finding mission to the Kingdom of Lesotho.
Summit thanked the Chairperson of SADC, H.E. Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma, President of the Republic of South Africa for hosting the Double Troika Summit and for the warm hospitality extended to all delegations.
