Luanda – Angola is since Thursday taking part in the 25th meeting of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation taking place on July 20, 21 in Windhoek, Namibia.
The Angolan delegation to the annual SADC meeting is being led by the Minister of National Defence, Former Combatants and Veterans of the Homeland, João Ernesto dos Santos "Liberdade'', ANGOP has learnt from a note issued by the Angolan diplomatic representation.
Speaking at the opening of the event, Namibia's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of International Relations and Co-operation, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, in her capacity as Chairperson of the Ministerial Committee of the Organ, highlighted the progress made in strengthening peace, security and stability in the region, as inescapable factors for sustainable development.
The Namibian official highlighted the deployment of the SADC Force Brigade in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the mission in northern Mozambique, which neutralised terrorist action in the country, enabling assistance to internally displaced persons in Cabo Delgado.
The 25th meeting of the SADC Ministerial Committee of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation will also provide an update on the Trafficking of Persons in the region, as well as analyse and approve the legal instrument establishing UNIVISA for tourism, with the aim of further strengthening regional integration in terms of immigration.
The ratifications of the Protocol on the Supervision of Movement of Persons in the SADC region (2005), which is not yet in force, and Member States that have not yet signed and ratified will also be subject of discussion of the meeting.
The entry into operation of the Protocol will further boost intra-regional tourism and enable people-to-people exchanges, business interactions and investment across the region.
The Angolan delegation also includes the Chief of Staff of the Angolan Armed Forces (FAA), General Altino dos Santos, the Ambassador to Namibia, Jovelina Imperial e Costa, as well as the Secretary of State for the Interior, José Paulino Cunha da Silva, and the Commander General of the National Police, Arnaldo Carlos.
