Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
12 December 2001
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma will lead the South African government delegation which will include the Minister of Defence Mosiua Lekota to the Committee of Ministers of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security to be held in Luanda, Angola, from 17-18 December 2001. The Ministers will be joined by Foreign Affairs Deputy Director-General Welile Nhlapo and Secretary of Defence Mr January Masilela who will also be attending the officials’ meeting scheduled for 13-14 December.
This will be the first fully fledged Meeting of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Co-operation since the SADC Protocol that establishes the Organ was signed on the 14th of August 2001 by SADC Heads of State and Government in Blantyre, Malawi.
During that Summit, Mozambique was chosen as the Chair of the Organ with Tanzania and Zimbabwe making up the rest of the Troika.
The SADC Committee of Ministers meeting is expected to deliberate upon the development of a strategy to operationalise the Organ. In addition the meeting will review the political situation in the region including the issue of international terrorism .
For more information contact Ronnie Mamoepa on 082 990 4853