by Joseph Ngwawi – SANF 06 No 68
Southern Africa has pledged to assist the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to build strong institutions and promote lasting peace following the successful holding of elections in July.
The consolidation of the peace effort in the DRC was one of the topical issues as leaders of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) met for the 26th SADC Summit in Lesotho on 17-18 August.
Outgoing SADC chairperson and President of Botswana, Fergus Mogae, said the region will assist the DRC in the “planning and execution of a programme for the post-electoral and post-conflict peace stabilization period.”
“I remain confident that our support to the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo will not end with the recent elections. Our fellow SADC citizens will for the foreseeable future continue to require our assistance as well as that of the international community as a whole,” said Mogae at the summit.
The DRC held its first democratic elections in more than 45 years on 30 July and final results are expected to be out before 31 August.
The inauguration of the winning presidential candidate is set for 10 September but that could be postponed until 10 December in the event that no clear winner emerges from the 30 July polls. A second round run-off will then be necessary to determine the winner.
President Jakaya Kikwete of the United Republic of Tanzania, elected in December 2005, who was one of two southern African leaders attending the SADC Summit for the first time, challenged the people of the DRC to embrace the outcome of the elections and work towards reconciliation.
“I hope and appeal to the leaders and members of the contending political parties to take the results of the elections with as much courage as they ventured into the election,” said Kikwete.
The other leader attending for the first time as a SADC Head of State was Marc Ravalomanana, President of Madagascar. He attended the 2005 summit in Botswana as an observer and this was his first meeting following the admission of his country as a full SADC member.
The DRC was represented by Mbusa Nyamwisi, Minister of Regional Cooperation.
SADC countries assisted in making the 30 July elections in DRC successful, both as a region and as individual countries.
The regional body dispatched a 200-member team to observe the conduct of the elections and closely monitored the security situation in the country ahead of the polls. Various teams, including those of SADC defence ministers, were sent to the country to assess the security conditions in the run-up to the elections.
Individual countries such as South Africa provided significant logistical and technical assistance to ensure the smooth conduct of the polls.
South Africa assisted with the printing of ballot papers and provided technicians who helped with setting up the electronic systems.
