Luanda - The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Council of Ministers on Monday adopted the revised budget to extend the mandate of the Southern African Development Community Mission to the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC), for a period of one year.
The event took place during an extraordinary meeting of this body that took place in virtual format and was attended by the minister of National Defence, Former Combatants and Veterans of the Homeland, João Ernesto dos Santos “Liberdade, on behalf of the Foreign Affairs minister, Téte António.
The event was preceded by the meeting of the Organ's Ministerial Committee (CMO) throughout the Defence and Finance Subcommittees, as well as by the meeting of the Senior Officials of the aforementioned regional organization, which aimed to assess the budget proposal for the extension of the SAMIDRC Mission.
The meeting also decided to begin the process of developing a second budgetary scenario, depending on the evolution of the situation on site, which will be informed by the results of the Field Assessment Mission (FAM), to be held in April 2025.
On the occasion, the Angolan Defence minister reiterated the importance of the decision presented on November 20th this year, in Harare, Zimbabwe, by the Heads of State and Government of the SADC Countries, to extend the mandate of SAMIDRC, while negotiations are taking place between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda, facilitated by Angola, to materialize the Peace Agreement, after the Ceasefire that has been in force since August 4th.
The need to maintain engagement with Angola was also expressed during the meeting with the aim of continuing the negotiation process for the signing of the Peace Agreement that was proposed by the Angolan State in accordance with the Luanda Process.
Minister João Ernesto dos Santos also took the opportunity, on behalf of Angola, to congratulate the neighbouring Republic of Namibia for holding free, fair and transparent elections on 27 November, this year, which elected Mrs. Nandi-Ndaitwah, thus becoming the first woman to be President of that country. He also congratulated the United Republic of Tanzania for the 63rd anniversary of its Independence, which was marked on Monday, December 09.
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