Dar hosts its First Organ Troika Summit

H.E. President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, the President of the United Republic of Tanzania officially opens the first one-day Organ Troika Summit held today at the Hyatt Regency (Kilimanjaro) Hotel in Dar es Salaam.  Tanzania chairs the Organ after inheriting it from Mozambique last month in August in Maputo. (Photo by Tagie Daisy Mwakawago)

President Joseph Kabila Kabange (left) of DRC-Congo and Hon.Nosiviwe Maphisa-Nqakula (center), the South African Minister of Defence representing H.E. President Jacob Zuma, and President Hifikepunye Pohamba of Namibia listening to President Kikwete's opening remarks.  (Photo by Tagie Daisy Mwakawago)

Hon. Membe (left) listens to President Kikwete's opening remarks.  Other in the photo, President Armando Emilio Guebuza of Mozambique.  ((Photo by Tagie Daisy Mwakawago)

Hon. Membe in light moment with Hon. Oldemiro Baloi (left), Minister of Foreign Affairs in Mozambique, and Ambassador Liberata Mulamula (center), President Kikwete's Senior Advisor (Diplomatic Affairs). (Photo by Tagie Daisy Mwakawago) 

Hon. John M. Haule, Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and H.E. Ambassador Shamim Nyanduga, Ambassador of Tanzania to Mozambique and other Senior Government Officals were also in attendance during the Summit.  (Photo by Tagie Daisy Mwakawago) 

H.E. Ambassador Radhia Msuya, High Commissioner of Tanzania to South Africa and H.E. Ambassador Nyanduga were among the attendees at the Summit including Ambassador Naimi Aziz (not in the photo), Director for the Department of Regioal Commission. (Photo by Tagie Daisy Mwakawago)

 Press briefing 

Dr. Tomaz A. Salomăo, Executive Secretary of Southern African Development Community (SADC), reads Communique issued at the end of the Summit, while President Kikwete and Hon. Membe listening on. (Photo by Tagie Daisy Mwakawago) 

President Kikwete talks to members of media.

President Kikwete in discussion with Hon. Membe and Brigadier General Derrick Mwamunyange (center), Chief of Military Intelligence, Tanzania People’s Defence Forces. (Photo by Tagie Daisy Mwakawago)

Hon. Membe in light talk with Brigadier General Derrick Mwamunyange, Chief of Military Intelligence, Tanzania People’s Defence Forces.  (Photo by Tagie Daisy Mwakawago)

Dar Hosts its First Organ Troika Summit

By TAGIE DAISY MWAKAWAGO

Tanzania hosted its first Organ Troika Summit yesterday as the new Chairman of the SADC Organ Troika on Politics, Defence and Security, after inherited its Chairmanship from Mozambique in August of this year in Maputo.  The one-day Summit was held at Hyatt Regence (Kilimanjaro) Hotel in Dar es Salaam.

Chaired by President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, the Summit commended the report on Kigali presented by the Mozambique President Armando Emilio Guebuza, who was also in attendance, saying that it provided views and ideas on finding solutions to the crisis in Eastern Congo -DRC.

“We reviewed said report and discuss on what steps need to be followed,” said President Kikwete, while briefing reporters after the closed-doors Summit ended. 

The Summit was also attended by President Hifikepunye Pohamba from Namibia, President Joseph Kabila Kabange from Congo-DRC and Hon. Nosiviwe Maphisa-Nqakula, the South African Minister of Defence representing President Jacob Zuma.   

President Kikwete said that the Organ Troika discussed the developments of constitution in Zimbabwe as it is in its final stages, the long standing crisis in Madagascar and the Eastern Congo-DRC issue.    He said the Summit commended the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) on its efforts in finding lasting solution to the eastern DRC challenges and expressed the SADC readiness to work together with the ICLGR.

Congo-DRC is a member of both the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the ICLGR, a mere reason why the Kigali report and its findings were tabled as part issues to be discussed in this Summit.

He also reiterated that the Organ Troika’s responsibilities include review and follow up of any outstanding issues, even if they coincide with those of the ICLGR.   With that, the Summit restated the need for the Executive Secretaries of SADC and ICGLR to work together.

The Summit also reviewed the briefing on Angola elections, which was presented by Hon. Bernard K. Membe (MP), Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation.     

In that the Summit commended the people of Angola for holding peaceful, credible, free and fair elections on 31 August, 2012.

 “We congratulate President Eduardo dos Santos for his momentum victory and wishing people of Angola well as they embark a new chapter in continuing to build their country,” said President Kikwete.  

In closing, the Organ Troika Summit expressed its appreciation for the Government of United Republic of Tanzania for hosting the Summit and its warm hospitality throughout the day.

End.