President Mnangagwa's SADC Chairpersonship Contributes to Peace and Stability in the Eastern DRC

Strategic Insights -

Under President Mnangagwa's leadership, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) played a critical role in advancing peace and stability in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) under the African Union's 'Silencing the Guns' initiative. During his one-year tenure as SADC chairperson, which ends today, President Mnangagwa successfully brought together two regional blocs, SADC and the East African Community (EAC), to facilitate a merger of the Luanda and Nairobi peace processes into a single African-led framework. This historic push to curb conflict in the eastern DRC is set to be remembered as a significant achievement of President Mnangagwa's leadership.

Key Takeaways:

  • President Mnangagwa's SADC chairpersonship resulted in the successful merger of the Luanda and Nairobi peace processes into a single African-led framework, advancing peace and stability in the eastern DRC.
  • Zimbabwe's leadership, under President Mnangagwa, played a crucial role in bringing together SADC and EAC to facilitate a joint effort to curb conflict in the eastern DRC.
  • The African Union's 'Silencing the Guns' initiative aims to achieve universal peace on the continent, with SADC and other sub-regional bodies contracted to ensure peace and stability within their respective regions.
  • President Mnangagwa emphasized the importance of beneficiating minerals in the region and across the continent, promoting industrialization and value addition to build more jobs and get more returns for the economy.
  • Zimbabwe's national mantra, 'Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo', underscored the importance of infrastructure for trade and regional integration, with Zimbabwe providing leadership through example in laying the groundwork for sub-regional cohesion and growth.
  • President Mnangagwa's leadership as SADC chairperson relied on his emphasis on a sub-regional agenda and continental free trade, which enabled Africa to look to its own capacity and resources to move forward in the face of adverse global developments.

Statistics:

  • Two regional blocs, SADC and EAC, came together for the first time to find lasting peace in the eastern DRC under President Mnangagwa's leadership.
  • The African Union's 'Silencing the Guns' initiative aims to achieve universal peace on the continent.
  • Zimbabwe's lithium, chrome, and other minerals are undergoing value addition processes to build more jobs and get more returns for the economy.
  • The eastern DRC saw an escalation of conflict during President Mnangagwa's tenure as SADC chairperson, with an escalation that drew in countries outside the SADC region.
  • The US tariff wars and global conflict situations negatively affected supply chains in the region, but President Mnangagwa's leadership emphasized continental free trade and the importance of Africa's own capacity and resources.

Sources:

  • George Charamba, Deputy Chief Secretary in the Office of the President and Cabinet (Presidential Communications)
  • Interview with George Charamba, Deputy Chief Secretary in the Office of the President and Cabinet (Presidential Communications)