SADC put its foot down on formation of inclusive government

The Southern African Development Community set the timetable for the formation of the inclusive government which was adhered to although opposition parties from Zimbabwe had claimed that they had not agreed to outstanding issues.

SADC leaders met in Pretoria on 26 and 27 January and said that Zimbabwe’s political parties must pass Constitutional Amendment 19 to pave way for the inclusive government by 5 February.

They also said the Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and his deputy Arthur Mutambara must be sworn in by 11 February.

Full cable:

Viewing cable 09PRETORIA164, COMMUNIQUE OF THE EXTRAORDINARY SUMMIT OF THE SADC

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P 271615Z JAN 09

FM AMEMBASSY PRETORIA

TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7154

INFO AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

AMCONSUL CAPE TOWN PRIORITY

AMCONSUL DURBAN PRIORITY

AMCONSUL JOHANNESBURG PRIORITY

CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY

DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY

NSC WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS PRETORIA 000164

E.O. 12958: N/A

TAGS: KDEM PGOV PREL ZANU SF ZM

SUBJECT: COMMUNIQUE OF THE EXTRAORDINARY SUMMIT OF THE SADC

HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT REGARDING ZIMBABWE

¶1. The following is the text of the Final Communiqu of the

Extraordinary Summit of the Southern Africa Development

Community (SADC) Heads of State and Government regarding the

crisis in Zimbabwe held in Pretoria, South Africa on January

26-27, 2009. Heads of State from South Africa, Botswana,

Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia,

Zimbabwe attended. Represented by Ministers of Ambassadors

were Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Seychelles,

Malawi, Madagascar, and Mauritius. Though the final

communiqu indicates that a unanimous consensus was reach by

all the parties on outstanding issues to allow for the

establish of the proposed unity government within the next

several weeks, this remains a controversial interpretation.

The Zimbabwean opposition Movement for Democratic Change

spokespersons and embassy contacts claim they have not yet

agreed to the terms of reference in this communiqu, and they

believe these proposals fall far short of their expectations.

Post will report on the atmospherics and reactions to this

communiqu of the various parties septel.

BEGIN TEXT:

Communiqu of the Extraordinary Summit of SADC Heads of State

and Government

Presidential Guest House

Pretoria, Republic of South Africa

26 – 27 January 2009

¶1. The Extraordinary Summit of the SADC Heads of State and

Government met at the Presidential Guest House in Pretoria,

Republic of South Africa on 26 – 27 January 2009. The

Extraordinary Summit met to review the implementation of the

Zimbabwe Global Political Agreement (Z-GPA). (Note: Z-GPA of

September 2008. End Note)

¶2. The Extraordinary Summit was chaired by H.E. Kgalema

Motlanthe, Chairperson of SADC and President of the Republic

of South Africa.

¶3. The Extraordinary Summit was attended by the following

Heads of State and Government or their representatives:

Botswana – H.E. President Lt. Gen. Seretse Khama Ian Khama

Lesotho – The Right Honourable Prime Minister Pakalitha

Mosisili

Mozambique – H.E. President Armando Emilio Guebuza, Deputy

Chairperson of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security

Cooperation

Namibia – H.E. President Hifikepunye Puhamba

South Africa – H.E. President Kgalema Motlanthe, Chairperson

of SADC

Swaziland – H.M. King Mswati III, Chairperson of the Organ on

Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation

United Republic of Tanzania – H.E. President Jakaya Mrisho

Kikwete

Zambia – H.E. President Rupiah Banda

Zimbabwe – H.E. President Robert Gabriel Mugabe

Angola – Hon Assuncao Dos Anjos, Minister of External Affairs

DRC – Hon Alexis Thambwe Muamba, Minister of Foreign Affairs

Seychelles – Hon Patrick Pillay, Minster of Foreign Affairs

Malawi – Hon George Chaponda, Minister of Local Government

and Rural Development

Madagascar – Hon Dr Denis Andriamandroso, Madagascar

Ambassador to South Africa

Mauritius – Mr Anund Priyay Neewoor, GOSK, Secretary for

Foreign Affairs

¶4. The Meeting was also attended by His Excellency Thabo

Mbeki former President of the Republic of South Africa and

the SADC Facilitator on the Zimbabwe Political Dialogue,

Leaders of MDC Formations, Right Honourable Morgan

Tsvangirai, Prime Minister Designate and Professor Welshman

Ncube, representing Professor Arthur Mutambara, the Deputy

Prime Minister Designate of the Republic of Zimbabwe and the

Executive Secretary of SADC, Dr. Tomaz Augusto Salomao.

¶5. In his opening remarks, His Excellency President Kgalema

Motlanthe, Chairperson of SADC and President of the Republic

of South Africa welcomed all delegates to the meeting and

re-affirmed SAC’s commitment to finding a lasting solution to

the implementation of the Zimbabwe Global Political

Agreement.

¶6. The Extraordinary Summit noted that the people of

Zimbabwe are faced with the difficult challenges and

suffering that can only be addressed once an Inclusive

Government is in place.

¶7. In view of the above, the Extraordinary Summit decided as

follows:

(i) the Parties shall endeavour to cause Parliament to pass

the Constitutional Amendment 19 by 5 February 2009;

(ii) the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Ministers shall

be sworn in by 11 February 2009;

(iii) the Ministers and Deputy Ministers shall be sworn in on

13 February 2009, which will conclude the process of

the formation of the Inclusive Government;

(iv) the Joint-Monitoring Implementation Committee (JOMIC),

provided for in the Global Political Agreement shall be

activated immediately. The first meeting of JOMIC shall be

convened by the Facilitator on 30 January 2009 and shall,

among other things, elect the chairpersons;

(v) the allocation of ministerial portfolios endorsed by the

SADC Extraordinary Summit held on 9 November, 2008 shall be

reviewed six (6) months after the inauguration of the

Inclusive Government;

(vi) the appointments of the Reserve Bank Governor and the

Attorney General will be dealt with by the Inclusive

Government after its formation; and

(vii) the negotiators of the parties shall meet immediately

to consider the National Security Bill submitted by the MDC-T

as well as the formula for the distribution of the Provincial

Governors;

¶8. The Extraordinary Summit expressed its appreciation for

the efforts of His Excellency Thabo Mbeki Former President of

the Republic of South Africa and the Facilitator of the

Political Dialogue on Zimbabwe in helping to find an amicable

solution to challenges facing the Republic of Zimbabwe and

encouraged him to continue with his facilitation efforts.

¶9. The Extraordinary Summit commended the political parties

to the Global Political Agreement for their openness and

constructive engagement in finding a lasting solution to the

challenges facing Zimbabwe.

¶10. SADC shall remain seized with the Zimbabwe situation in

keeping with its obligations as guarantor of the Global

Political Agreement.

¶11. The Extraordinary Summit directed the Chairperson of

SADC to present to the African Union at its forthcoming

Summit a progress report on the implementation of the

Sharm-El-Sheik Resolution.

¶12. The Extraordinary Summit received a brief on the

prevailing security situation in the Democratic Republic of

Congo and supports the Government efforts to find a lasting

solution to the conflict in the Eastern part of the country.

The Government of the DRC expressed its gratitude to SADC for

the support thus far rendered.

¶13. The Extraordinary Summit also urged the International

Q13. The Extraordinary Summit also urged the International

Community to continue providing the people of the Democratic

Republic of Congo with humanitarian assistance.

¶14. His Excellency President Kgalema Motlanthe officially

closed the Extraordinary Summit.

Pretoria, Republic of South Africa, 27 January, 2009

END TEXT

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