Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah said it is critical for the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African Union (AU) to intensify working relationships in efforts to end terrorist attacks in northern Mozambique.
Mozambique has been experiencing instability since 2017. At least 700 000 people have been displaced as a result of the terrorism violence and over 4 000 killed.
Opening the 1119th virtual ministerial meeting as chairperson of the AU Peace and Security Council on Monday, Nandi-Ndaitwah said Africa has witnessed a surge of terrorism and faces the challenge of becoming an epicentre of terrorism and violent extremism, and there is a need to increase regional efforts to combat this violence.
She stressed that threats of terrorism have reared across the continent including the southern Africa region which has the least burden of violent conflicts, noting that the human, institutional and socio-economic toll terrorist attacks have brought about in Mozambique has led to the deployment of the Southern African Development Community Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM) in June 2021, as regional response to support the country’s terrorism combat.
“Given the continuing threat of the terrorist group in Cabo Delgado, Mozambique and the scale of the crisis it has caused; it is our conviction that we need to strengthen SAMIM’s capabilities. Of particular importance in this regard is the need to address the financial and logistical shortfalls, which can undermine the effective execution by SAMIM of its mandate,” she said.
Nandi-Ndaitwah noted that the gaps identified could threaten and reverse the gains made thus far, therefore enhancing the capabilities and military posture of SAMIM is critical not only to consolidate the gains achieved thus far, but also to free the rest of Cabo Delgado from the threat posed by the terrorism group.
She noted that there is also a need to further intensify protection of women and children and civilians at large through United Nations (UN) resolution 1345.
Source: The Namibian Press Agency
