The Special Representative of the Secretary general Mr. Maman Sambo Sidikou met with the Executive Secretary of the Southern Africa Development Community her Excellency Dr. Stergomena Lawrence Tax on 13th November 2017 in Gaborone, Botswana. The objective of the meeting was to share information on the political and security situation in the DRC following the announcement of the electoral calendar and the 23rd December 2018 elections date by the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) with a view to ensure coordinated support to the country’s electoral process.
During the meeting, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General to DRC thanked the Executive Secretary for according him the time to see her. He highlighted that much as the electoral calendar has been released, a continuous support by regional and international cooperating Partners remains critical in ensuring that the country is ready for December 2018 elections.
The SADC Executive Secretary welcomed Mr. Sidikou to SADC and thanked him for the good working relationship between the two institutions that has resulted in significant progress made in the DRC. She highlighted that it was in SADC’s interest to ensure durable peace and political stability in the country, indicating that this has been done through the provision of the various kinds on support to DRC. Of recent, SADC has appointed the Former President of Namibia His Excellency Pohamba as the SADC Special Envoy to DRC, who will be supported by the SADC Liaison Office in the DRC and electoral experts that will be designated to support DRC. Dr. Tax also emphasized the need to strengthen the Force Intervention Brigade to be able to deal with increased asymmetric threats posed by negative forces in the DRC, and combat terrorism.
She expressed optimism that with coordinated support, security and political, as well challenges related to the electoral process can be ameliorated.
The Parties agreed on the need for stakeholders to work together in order to ensure political normalcy in the DRC, and to support DRC in ensuring peace and security by among others facilitating dialogue and strengthening of the Force Intervention Brigade, and to support the electoral process and ensure delivery of credible elections.
