The President of Tanzania, Samia Suluhu Hassan, was the first head of state to arrive in this capital, where the meeting convened by Angolan President João Lourenço in his capacity as head of SADC will take place.
At the “4 de Fevereiro” international airport, the Tanzanian representative was received by the Angolan Foreign Minister Téte António and the Deputy Governor of Luanda Province for the Economic Area, Jorge Miguens Augusto.
Also arriving on Friday were the Vice President of the Republic of Namibia, Nangolo Mbumba, and the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Lesotho, Ntsokoane Samuel Matekane, whom the Chancellor also welcomed.
Other heads of delegations already on Angolan soil include Botswana’s Foreign Minister, Lomogang Kwape; from Mozambique, Verónica Macamo, and from Malawi, Nancy Tembo; and Eswatini’s Minister of Economic Affairs, Thabisile Grace Mlangeni.
The arrival of South Africa’s leader, Cyril Ramaphosa, is scheduled for tomorrow; from Zambia, Hakainde Hichilema; from Zimbabwe, Emmerson Mnangagwa, and from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo.
The summit was preceded this Friday by the ministerial meeting of the SADC Political, Defense and Security Panel, which took place behind closed doors at the Intercontinental Hotel in Luanda.
The meeting was chaired by the organization’s Managing Director, Elias Mpedi Magosi; and the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Zambia, Stanley Kakubo, in his capacity as President of the Council of Ministers of the regional bloc body.
Tomorrow, in the same room, the summit will be held to discuss the security situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo following the recent confrontations and the violation of the ceasefire.
Likewise, Community representatives will address the circumstances of the region with a view to the electoral processes that need to take place later this year and next, including the electoral process in the Democratic Republic of Congo on December 20th.
lam/kmg