/ MEDIA STATEMENT / The content on this page is not written by Polity.org.za, but is supplied by third parties. This content does not constitute news reporting by Polity.org.za.

The Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ms Nomaindia Mfeketo, will undertake a working visit to Swakopmund, Namibia, to attend the 16th meeting of the SADC Ministerial Committee of the Organ (MCO) on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, scheduled for 24-25 July 2014.

The MCO meeting is a legislative meeting held annually to consider the status of decisions and ongoing programmes in the South African Development Community (SADC) region. The Ministerial meeting will be preceded by the Senior Officials Meeting.

The SADC Ministers will consider the following matters on the agenda  of the MCO meeting–:

• Reports of the Inter-State Politics and Diplomacy Committee (ISPDC), the Defence and Security Committee (ISDSC) and the Public Security Sub Committee (PSSC). Among the pertinent issues to be discussed are the political and security situation in the region, the UNIVISA (i.e a single visa system for SADC), the SADC Electoral Advisory Council (SEAC), mediation structures and building the capacity of the SADC Secretariat;

• Elections that have been held in the reporting period, which are Madagascar, South Africa and Malawi. SADC Election Observer Missions (SEOMs) were deployed to the three countries. Still to take place this year, are elections in Mozambique on 15 October, in Botswana on 31 October, and Namibia in November; and

• SADC’s mediation, conflict prevention and preventative diplomacy structures, which were approved in 2010. Provision is made under these structures for the establishment of a Panel of Elders, a Mediation Reference Group and a Mediation Support Unit.

Deputy Minister Mfeketo will be supported by Senior Government officials.