COMMUNIQUE OF THE
39TH SADC SUMMIT OF HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT
JULIUS NYERERE INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION CENTRE
DAR ES SALAAM, UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA
17 – 18 AUGUST 2019
1. The 39th Ordinary Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) was held at Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre in Dar es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania, on the 17th and 18th August 2019.
2. Summit was attended by the following Heads of State and Government and/or their representatives:
Angola: H.E. President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço
Comoros: H. E. President Colonel Azali Assoumani
DRC: H.E. President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo
Madagascar: H.E. President Andry Rajoelina
Mozambique: H.E President Felipe Jacinto Nyusi
Namibia: H.E. President Dr Hage G. Geingob
Seychelles: H.E. President Danny Faure
South Africa: H.E. President Cyril Ramaphosa
United Republic of Tanzania: H.E. President Dr. John Pombe Joseph Magufuli
Zambia: H.E. President Edgar Chagwa Lungu
Zimbabwe: H.E. President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa.
Lesotho: Right Hon Prime Minister Dr. Motsoahae Thomas Thabane
Malawi: Rt. Hon. Everton Herbet Chimulirenji – Vice President
Eswatini: H.E. The Right Hon. Prime Minister Mandvulo Dlamini
Botswana: Hon. Dr. Unity Dow – Minister of International Affairs and Cooperation
Mauritius: Hon. Nandcoomar Bodha – Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade.
3. Also in attendance were H.E. Dr. Stergomena Lawrence Tax, SADC Executive Secretary; H.E. Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank; and H.E. Dr. Vera Songwe, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.
4. Summit expressed deep condolences to His Excellency Dr. President John Pombe Joseph Magufuli, the Government and the people of the United Republic of Tanzania and the families of the deceased following the deadly fuel tanker accident in Morogoro.
5. Summit elected H.E. Dr. John Pombe Joseph Magufuli, President of the United Republic of Tanzania as Chairperson of SADC, and H.E. Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, President of the Republic of Mozambique as Incoming Chairperson of SADC.
6. Summit also elected H.E. Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, President of the Republic of Zimbabwe as Chairperson of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, and H.E. Dr. Mokgweetsi E.K. Masisi President of the Republic of Botswana as Incoming Chairperson of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation.
7. Summit commended the Outgoing Chairperson of SADC, H.E. Dr. Hage G. Geingob, President of the Republic of Namibia, for his exemplary leadership during his tenure.
8. Summit endorsed the Theme of the 39th Summit of Heads of State and Government, “A Conducive Environment of Inclusive and Sustainable Industrial Development, Increased Intra-Regional Trade and Job Creation”, which takes forward the SADC industrialization agenda.
9. Summit noted the overall decline in food production in the Region, for the 2018/19 crop season, and urged the Member States to implement comprehensive multi-year response plans to tackle the recurrent droughts and food insecurity to boost agricultural production.
10. Summit noted the progress made on the implementation of the SADC Industrialization Strategy and approved the Protocol on Industry, which aims to promote the development of a diversified, innovative and globally competitive industrial base.
11. Summit noted with great concern the slow growth in the intra-SADC trade levels, and that the region continues to export unprocessed raw material to the rest of the world, thereby forfeiting the potential benefits of the resource endowments. To this effect, Summit agreed to accelerate the implementation of the industrialization strategy.
12. Summit noted the devastating effects of tropical cyclones in the Union of Comoros, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe and expressed its sympathy, and commended all Member States and International Cooperating Partners for the humanitarian support rendered to the affected Member States.
13. Summit directed the SADC Secretariat to expedite the operationalization of the SADC Disaster Preparedness and Response Mechanism as part of the regional measures to respond to effects of climate change.
14. Summit noted the good progress towards the representation of women in politics and economic decision making and urged Member States to translate laws and policies into concrete actions, such as legislative quotas on women’s representation in politics and the application of Article 5 of the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development on Special Measures.
15. Summit noted the adverse impact on the economy of Zimbabwe and the region at large, of prolonged economic sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe, and expressed solidarity with Zimbabwe, and called for the immediate lifting of the sanctions to facilitate socio-economic recovery in the country.
16. Summit declared the 25th October as the date on which SADC Member States can collectively voice their disapproval of the sanctions through various activities and platforms until the sanctions are lifted.
17. Summit approved Kiswahili as the Fourth SADC Official Working Language, in recognition of its contribution, Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere’s role in the liberation struggle of Southern Africa.
18. Summit noted that Burundi met some of the eligibility criteria for admission of new members into SADC, and that she will submit a progress report, based on which a verification Mission will be undertaken.
19. Summit approved the Protocol on Inter-State Transfer of Sentenced Offenders, whose objective is to allow for the transfer of sentenced offenders to serve their sentences in their home countries
20. Summit noted the withdrawal of South Africa's signature from the Protocol on the Tribunal in the Southern African Development Community of 2014 in compliance with a Constitutional Court ruling.
21. Summit welcomed the enactment of legislation to establish the National Reforms Authority (NRA) in the Kingdom of Lesotho, called upon all stakeholders in Lesotho to remain committed to the reforms process, and commended the SADC Facilitator for the effective facilitation.
22. Summit noted the gravity of security challenges, especially on terrorism activities and transnational organized crime, and urged Member States to prioritize the implementation of the SADC Regional Counter Terrorism Strategy.
23. Summit noted the acts of extremism and terrorism in the DRC, specifically in the Beni Province and agreed to collaborate with the International Conference of the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), and consolidate efforts towards the security stabilization in the DRC and the Great Lakes Region.
24. Summit noted the gravity of maritime security threats, such as piracy, maritime terrorism, drug trafficking, and illegal carrying and trafficking of weapons and ammunition, and agreed to jointly address them as part of SADC Maritime Security Strategy.
25. Summit commended the outgoing Chairperson of SADC, H.E. Dr. Hage G. Geingob, President of the Republic of Namibia, and H.E. Cyril Ramaphosa, President of the Republic of South Africa, for their outstanding leadership during the SADC Solidarity Conference with the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic.
26. Summit noted the resolutions of the SADC Solidarity Conference with the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR)/Western Sahara and urged SADC Member States, the African Union and the United Nations, to implement the resolutions of the Conference.
27. Summit called for the unconditional implementation of all UN resolutions and AU decisions on Western Sahara, which should lead to a positive, peaceful and permanent solution that meets the aspirations of the people of Western Sahara.
28. Summit expressed solidarity with Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic/Western Sahara (SADR) by urging African Union Member States and other partners to ensure that the SADR is not excluded from participating in continental and international events.
29. Summit directed the Secretariat to notify the African Union Commission, and the Government of Japan on the SADC Position regarding the exclusion of Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic/Western Sahara (SADR) participation in the forthcoming All African Games to be held in Morocco, and TICAD meeting to be held in Japan in August 2019.
30. Summit congratulated the Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Madagascar, Malawi and South Africa, for holding peaceful and successful elections.
31. Summit directed the SADC Secretariat in collaboration with the Parliamentary Forum Secretariat to develop the model that the proposed SADC Parliament would assume, in terms of mandate, powers and functions; and to develop a Roadmap towards the transformation of the SADC Parliamentary Forum into a SADC Parliament.
32. Summit noted the progress made on the construction of the SADC Standby Force Regional Logistics Depot and mandated the Chairperson of the Organ to engage the African Union further on the support required for the construction of the Regional Logistics Depot.
33. Summit commended the Outgoing Chairperson of SADC, H.E. Dr. Hage G. Geingob, President of the Republic of Namibia, and the Outgoing Chairperson of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, H.E. Edgar Chagwa Lungu, President of the Republic of Zambia for the role they played that contributed to the peaceful elections and peaceful transfer of power, while maintaining the territorial integrity of the DRC.
34. Summit commended the Republics of Angola and South Africa for providing financial and material assistance for the conduct of the 2018 Presidential Elections in the Republic of Madagascar.
35. Summit commended H.E. President Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, President of the Republic of Mozambique, and Honourable Ossufo Momade, the leader of the opposition political party, RENAMO on the signing of the peace and reconciliation agreement on the 06th August 2019, paving the way for sustainable peace and revamping of economic and social development.
36. Summit commended H.E. Edgar Chagwa Lungu, President of the Republic of Zambia for his leadership during his tenure as the Chairperson of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation.
37. His Excellency President Dr. John Pombe Joseph Magufuli thanked all the Heads of State and Government for attending the 39th Ordinary Summit of SADC Heads of State and Government.
38. Summit extended its appreciation to the Government and people of the United Republic of Tanzania for successfully hosting the 39th Ordinary Summit and the hospitality they provided to the delegates during the Summit period.
39. Summit noted that the next Summit will take place in Maputo, Mozambique in August 2020.
Done at Dar es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania, 18th August 2019
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