Summit
17 August 2007
1. The Summit of Heads of State and Government of the SADC was held in
Lusaka, Republic of Zambia from August 16 to 17, 2007.
2. The Summit was officially opened by the Right Honourable Prime Minister
of the Kingdom of Lesotho and SADC Chairperson, Mr Pakalitha Mosisili.
3. Summit elected His Excellency Mr Levy Patrick Mwanawasa, the President of
the Republic of Zambia and His Excellency Mr Thabo Mbeki, the President of the
Republic of South Africa as Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson of SADC
respectively.
4. Summit elected His Excellency Mr Jose Eduardo dos Santos, the President
of the Republic of Angola and His Majesty King Mswati 111 of the Kingdom of
Swaziland as Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson of SADC Organ on Politics,
Defence and Security Co-operation respectively.
5. The Summit was attended by the following Heads of State and
Government:
Angola: H.E. President Jose Eduardo dos Santos
Botswana: H.E. President Festus Mogae
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC): H.E. President Joseph Kabila
Lesotho: The Right Honourable Prime Minister, Mr Pakalitha Mosisili
Madagascar: H.E. President Marc Ravalomanana
Malawi: H.E. President Bingu wa Mutharika
Mauritius: The Honourable Prime Minister, Dr Navinchandra Ramgoolam
Mozambique: H.E. President Armando Emilio Guebuza
Namibia: H.E. President Hifikepunye Pohamba
South Africa: H.E. President Thabo Mbeki
United Republic: H.E President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete of Tanzania
Zambia: H.E. President Levy P Mwanawasa
Zimbabwe: H.E. President Robert G Mugabe
6. The following organisations were also represented at the Summit: African
Union, New Partnership for Africa's Development (Nepad), Economic Commission
for Africa, Common Market for East and Southern Africa (Comesa) and the United
Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR).
7. His Excellency President Mwanawasa, host of the 27th Summit welcomed the
SADC Heads of State and Government and other delegates to the Republic of
Zambia.
8. In his address to the opening session of the Summit, the Outgoing
Chairperson, the Right Honourable Prime Minister, Mr Pakalitha Mosisili of the
Kingdom of Lesotho, thanked Member States for the support rendered to him
during his tenure of office since the 2006 Summit. He noted the progress made
towards deeper regional integration and efforts to achieve the Free Trade Area
(FTA) in 2008. He also called for a review of the regional energy situation,
the removal of all barriers to facilitate the movement of goods, including an
effective operationalisation of corridors to alleviate the inhibiting costs of
transport especially landlocked SADC Member States. He handed over the SADC
Chairpersonship to his Excellency President Mwanawasa, of the Republic of
Zambia.
9. In accepting the SADC Chairpersonship, His Excellency President Mwanawasa
thanked the Outgoing Chairperson for the progress achieved during his
leadership of SADC. President Mwanawasa undertook to provide leadership towards
the operationalisation of the FTA in 2008, consolidate and accelerate
preparations towards the Customs Union.
10. The Summit reviewed the Report from the outgoing Chairperson of the
Organ on Politics, Defence and security Co-operation, the President of the
United Republic of Tanzania, His Excellency Mr Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete. Summit
noted the Report which highlighted the implementation of the Strategic
Indicative Plan of the Organ (SIPO) and in particular human resources
requirements for its implementation.
11. Summit noted the consolidation of democracy and political stability in
the region. In this regard, Summit noted the peaceful and orderly manner in
which the people of the DRC, the Kingdom of Lesotho, the Republic of Madagascar
and the Republic of Zambia exercised their democratic rights as they voted in
the presidential and parliamentary elections held in their respective
countries. Summit noted that SADC Observer Missions were present and pronounced
the elections peaceful, credible, free and fair, transparent and professionally
managed.
12. The Summit congratulated the people of the DRC, the Kingdom of Lesotho,
the Republic of Madagascar and the Republic of Zambia for these elections.
13. The Summit was briefed that the negotiations between Zimbabwe African
National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) and both factions of the Movement for
Democratic Change (MDC) were progressing smoothly. Summit commended President
Thabo Mbeki. Summit welcomed the progress and encouraged the parties to
expedite the process of negotiations and conclude work as soon as possible so
that the next elections are held in an atmosphere of peace allowing the people
of Zimbabwe to elect the leaders of their choice in an atmosphere of peace and
tranquillity.
14. Summit took note of the Report of the Executive Secretary on the
economic situation in Zimbabwe and mandated the SADC Ministers responsible for
Finance to use the Report of the Executive Secretary in consultations with the
Government of Zimbabwe and draw up an economic plan to support Zimbabwe.
15. Summit launched the SADC Brigade consisting of military, police and
civilian components from all SADC Member States which was set up under the
provisions of the African Union which recommends that each of its five Regional
Economic Communities (RECs) should have a standby capacity for peace support
operations on the continent.
16. Summit received the report of the Ministerial Task Force on Regional
Economic Integration on the review of the implementation of the SADC Free Trade
Area and noted that there is a basis to declare the SADC Free Trade Area in
2008.
17. Summit noted progress made in the preparation of the SADC Customs Union
Road Map and urged the Ministerial Task Force to accelerate the completion of
this work and reaffirmed its earlier decisions on the need to accelerate the
implementation of related trade and economic programmes.
18. Summit reviewed the recent economic developments in the region and noted
with satisfaction that the region registered positive economic growth. Summit
urged Member States to continue implementing sound macroeconomic policies that
enhance the increasing macroeconomic convergence.
19. Summit held a special session focussing on strategies to accelerate
regional infrastructure development to support deeper regional integration and
development. To this effect, Summit directed the Secretariat to work out the
details of a regional Master Plan for Infrastructure Development in close
co-operation with Member States.
20. Summit noted progress being made in the implementation of the Maseru
Declaration on Combating HIV and AIDS. The achievements include the approval of
the Framework for Operationalising the SADC HIV and AIDS Regional Fund, the
training of 80 Officials from Member States as Trainers of Trainers in HIV and
AIDS mainstreaming, the development of core indicators for tracking progress in
the implementation of the Maseru Declaration and other commitments and the
development of a Framework for identifying and documenting Best Practices in
the region.
21. The Summit reviewed the food security situation in the region and noted
that Malawi and Zambia have a cereal surplus. In response to humanitarian
assistance requirements in the region and within the SADC co-operation
framework, Malawi pledged a donation of 5 000 metric tonnes to Swaziland and 5
000 metric tonnes to Lesotho. Zambia donated 10 000 tonnes to the Region
through World Food Programme.
22. Summit noted the progress made towards achieving the set target of 50%
women representation in decision making and reaffirmed its commitment to attain
this target. Summit noted progress on the negotiations of the protocol on
gender and development and agreed to defer its signature to allow some Member
States to conclude their internal consultations.
23. Summit also received a Declaration from the 2007 SADC First Spouses
Summit that took place in Lusaka under the theme: "Accelerating Progress in
Achieving Gender Equality."
24. Summit noted, with satisfaction, the progress being made towards the
construction of the SADC Headquarters in Gaborone, Botswana and approved a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) underwriting the financing of the
project.
25. Summit took note of the progress made in the preparations of the SADC
International Conference on Poverty and Development that will be held in
Mauritius in April 2008. The SADC Ministerial Consultative Conference with
International Co-operating Partners (ICPs) will be held back to back with this
Summit Conference.
26. Summit signed the following legal instruments:
* Agreement to Amend Article 22 of the SADC Treaty
* Agreement to Amend the Protocol on the Tribunal
* Agreement to Amend Annex VI to the Protocol on Trade
* Memorandum of Understanding amongst SADC Member States on the SADC
Headquarters
* Memorandum of Understanding on the establishment of the SADC Standby
Brigade.
27. The Summit expressed its appreciation to the government and people of
the Republic of Zambia for its warm hospitality extended to all delegates and
facilities provided.
28. His Excellency President Levy Patrick Mwanawasa officially closed the
Summit. The 2008 Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government will be held
in the Republic of South Africa.
Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
17 August 2007
