DIRCO Annual Report

next summit in August 2021. The MCO was assured of South Africa’s continued support for SADC’s longstanding commitment to assist the DRC to achieve sustainable peace, security and stability. South Africa further declared that it fully supported the retaining of a SADC capacity in the DRC and the further strengthening of the Force Intervention Brigade (FIB) in the eastern DRC. South Africa participated in the Virtual Summit of the Organ Troika Troop Contributing Countries and the DRC, which took place from 4 to 5 August 2020. The Organ Troika Summit Plus Meeting reaffirmed the SADC position that the FIB configuration should not be tampered with and called upon the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General to convene a consultative meeting with SADC at ministerial level to engage on the SADC position regarding the reconfiguration of the FIB, namely that, in the event that the UN Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) is withdrawn, SADC will continue supporting the DRC and directed the Defence Sub-Committee to determine the potential operational requirements in the absence of, or drawdown, of MONUSCO, and to further recommend the future role of SADC through the FIB or SADC Standby Force after the MONUSCO reduction/exit. The President’s Special Envoy (former Minister Jeff Radebe) visited the Kingdom of Lesotho on 1 May 2020. Outstanding issues from the previous visit by the Special Envoy were dealt with by engaging with security chiefs to obtain a better and deeper understanding of the possible security threats to the Kingdom of Lesotho. A common view was expressed regarding the importance for then Prime Minister Thabane to retire peacefully with his dignity and integrity intact. South Africa took part in a Virtual Organ Troika Summit on 14 August 2020. President Ramaphosa, in his capacity as SADC Facilitator to the Kingdom of Lesotho, presented and submitted his report on the facilitation process, outlining his achievements since the 39th Ordinary SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government in August 2019 and challenges with regard to the implementation of reforms; and timelines for the way forward. This was followed by a report by the Government of the Kingdom of Lesotho on the progress made towards the operationalisation of the National Reforms Authority (NRA). While the Organ Troika Summit only took note of the two reports, the Communiqué, issued at the end of the 40th Ordinary SADC Summit of Heads and State and Government on 17 August

2020, commended President Ramaphosa for his continued facilitation and directed the Government of the Kingdom of Lesotho to submit a progress report to the next summit in August 2021. Within this context, President Ramaphosa continues in this role until the next summit. South Africa participated in the Extraordinary Virtual Meeting of the MCO, which took place on 15 September 2020. The MCO noted the progress made in the development of the Draft Guidelines for Election Observation Under Public Health Emergencies and directed the Secretariat to finalise the sidelines, to be presented to the MCO during its next Ordinary Meeting in June 2021. The MCO directed the Secretariat to circulate the draft guidelines to member states for consultations by 20 September 2020 and urged member states to submit comments on the draft guidelines to the Secretariat by 30 November 2020. The MCO approved virtual electoral stakeholder engagements and observations for the upcoming elections in the Republic of Seychelles and the United Republic of Tanzania, instead of deploying physical SADC electoral observation missions. During the 40th Ordinary SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government on 17 August 2020, South Africa became the Incoming Chair of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation. This presents an opportunity for South Africa to have a bigger influence and to make a better contribution towards regional policies. However, South Africa’s greater participation in SADC structures as part of the Organ Troika, and therefore the Double Troika, will have bigger budgetary implications, which should also be considered and provision should be made for this. However, many of the meetings currently taking place are unplanned, because many of them happen as a result of the situation cause by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Department of International Relations and Cooperation

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