SADC agrees to keep troops in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado

SADC agrees to keep troops in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has agreed to extend its security mission in Mozambique, where defense forces have sought to restore order in troubled Cabo Delgado province. The decision was announced in a communiqué following Tuesday’s summit in Lilongwe, Malawi. The extraordinary summit, hosted by President Lazarus Chakwera, was…

Total declares force majeure on Mozambique LNG project

Total declares force majeure on Mozambique LNG project

French oil major Total says it has backed out of its US$20 billion LNG project in Mozambique, just days ahead of an expected decision on military intervention in the southern African nation. “Considering the evolution of the security situation in the north of the Cabo Delgado province in Mozambique, Total…

SADC puts Mozambique security assistance plan in motion

SADC puts Mozambique security assistance plan in motion

President Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe signaled that regional military support for Mozambique may be on the way in its fight against Islamic State-aligned extremists in the Cabo Delgado region. Mnangagwa made the comment while talking with reporters following Thursday’s Southern African Development Community (SADC) meeting, called to elevate the urgency…

Malawi denies making any troop commitment in Mozambique

Malawi has denied a report that its government will be sending troops to Mozambique to help fight Islamic militants in the Cabo Delgado region. The report, published by a local news outlet and shared widely on social media, follows a special summit meeting of the Southern African Development Community (SADC)…

Global calls for action on Cabo Delgado grow louder

World leaders are speaking out against the violence in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province, which has escalated since a first attack in October 2017 made clear that Islamic extremists were active in a region where foreign energy investments have helped to make it a target. President Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe said…

SADC cancels its in-person meetings as DRC reports first COVID-19 case

The Southern African Development Community has recommended temporary suspension of all in-person SADC meetings in its 16-nation region, urging instead the use of video conferencing, webinars and other tech-based solutions during the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. The decision was announced during a COVID-19 meeting of health ministers held in Tanzania on…

SADC summit ends with focus on Burundi, Lesotho and Zimbabwe

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has wrapped up its two-day summit in Dar es Salaam, with Tanzanian President John Magufuli taking leadership of the 16-nation body from outgoing chairman President Hage Geingob of Namibia. For now, the SADC will remain at 16 members because Burundi – hoping to join…

EU holds back on new Zimbabwe sanctions but warns it’s watching

While the European Union has declined to impose additional sanctions against Zimbabwe, there remains much concern over human rights and democratic principles amid the country’s economic and political crisis. “We have seen a crackdown on demonstrations in January – just a month ago – as well as the disproportionate use of force by…

Ahead of EU review, the clash over Zimbabwe sanctions

South Africa has issued the latest appeal to the international community to lift longstanding sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe in order to alleviate pressures contributing to its economic and political crises. “Zimbabwe has been going through a challenging socioeconomic situation, which has inadvertently had an impact on South Africa. We have…

DR Congo court rejects Fayulu election challenge

The Constitutional Court in Democratic Republic of Congo has dismissed an appeal filed by losing presidential candidate Martin Fayulu, in a ruling late Saturday that paves the way for final confirmation of a victory for Felix Tshisekedi of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS). The court’s decision was…

DR Congo: AU calls for halt on final election result decision

The African Union has called on the Democratic Republic of Congo to suspend the announcement of final results in the contested December 30 elections, following an emergency meeting at AU headquarters on Thursday. The AU and other stakeholders in Addis Ababa said there were “serious doubts” on provisional results that…

Report: Amid election crisis, 900 died in DR Congo village clashes

The United Nations human rights agency, OHCHR, said Wednesday that some 900 people died during three days in December in Democratic Republic of Congo’s Mai-Ndombe province, in communal violence stoked by the country’s heightened political tensions. The clashes between the Banunu and Batende people stretched across four villages in the…

Lesotho bids farewell to SADC peacekeeping mission

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) peacekeeping mission in Lesotho has come to an end, with ceremonies on Tuesday that marked the closing of the mission. The event included a parade and awards ceremony, attended by dignitaries including South African Defense Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, who was representing President Cyril Ramaphosa….

Russia reaffirms SADC ties, support for UNSC reform and C.A.R.

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Russian government have signed a new five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) of cooperation, the latest evidence of Moscow’s interest in the African continent and its development. SADC head Stergomena Tax and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov signed the document as African leaders…