The UN Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Mr. Taye-Brook Zerihoun paid a courtesy call on the SADC Secretariat on Tuesday, April 5, 2016, and held discussion with the SADC Executive Secretary, H.E. Dr. Stergomena Lawrence Tax. The two parties discussed matters of mutual interest to the UN and SADC with respect to peace and security.
Mr. Zerihoun informed the Executive Secretary of the UN's intention to open a UN Regional Office in the SADC Region which will work closely with the Secretariat, the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation and the SADC Member States on Preventive Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution to optimize the efforts of peace and stability in the region. Mr. Zerihoun further briefed the Executive Secretary of the consultations he undertook with SADC Member States on the subject.
Dr. Tax welcomed Mr. Zerihoun to the SADC Secretariat, and appreciated the support that the UN has extended to SADC on the area of peace and security. She further welcomed the idea of holding a SADC-UN high level Dialogue aiming at strengthening the cooperation in peace and security agenda between the two parties, and develop a common understanding on the functioning and modus operandi of the Regional Office.
