[25th June 2008]
Communiqué
The SADC Organ of Politics, Defence and Security Co-operation, Troika of Heads of State and Government, 25 June, 2008, Lozitha Palace, Manzini, Kingdom of Swaziland
[Note: The significant paragraph is 10 highlighted below in red]

1. At the invitation of His Majesty King Mswati III of the Kingdom of Swaziland and Deputy Chairperson of the Organ, the SADC Troika of the Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation met on this day of 2008, at Lozitha Palace, Manzini, Swaziland. His Majesty King of the Kingdom of Swaziland, who is the Deputy Chairperson of the Organ, chaired the meeting. The meeting was attended by the President of the United Republic of Tanzania, His Excellency, President Jakaya Kikwete.

2. The meeting was also attended by the Right Honourable Absalom Diamini, M.P., Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Swaziland, and the Executive Secretary of SADC, Dr. Tomaz Augusto Salomao.

3. The main objective of the meeting was to consult on the latest developments in Zimbabwe and the political situation in Malawi.

4.The SADC Organ Troika Summit was convened on the recommendations of the Ministerial Troika of the Organ, at their meeting held in Lilongwe, Malawi, on 17th June, 2008. The recommendations of the Ministerial Troika were reiterated by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs on June 23, 2008 at the 29 Session of the Inter State Politics and Diplomacy Committee of the Organ. The Summit received and discussed the reports of the two Ministerial Committees

5. In his opening remarks, His Majesty King Mswati Ill welcomed His Excellency President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete and other delegates to the consultative meeting. His Majesty re-affirmed SADC Organ's commitment to assist the parties to deal with the current situation.

6. With regard to the situation in Malawi, the SADC Organ Troika Summit is deeply concerned with the political stand-off, and appeals to the Parties concerned to refrain from inflaming the situation lest the situation worsens further. The Summit urges the parties to use dialogue to resolve their differences and offers to facilitate the dialogue at the earliest possible.

7. The Summit received a brief from the SADC Executive Secretary on the political situation in Zimbabwe. The Executive Secretary recalled that Summit, at its Extra-ordinary Meeting held on 13th April 2008, in Lusaka, Zambia, commended the people of Zimbabwe for the peaceful and orderly manner in which they conducted themselves before, during and after the harmonized elections of 29th March 2008. Summit had also commended the Government of Zimbabwe for ensuring that elections were conducted in a peaceful environment.

8. The Organ Summit also recalled that the SADC April 2008 Extra--Ordinary Summit had urged the Government that in the event of a need for a run-off election, it should ensure that the election is held in a secure and conducive environment and that SADC offered to send an Observer Mission.

9. The meeting noted with concern and disappointment that the opposition leader, Mr. Morgan Tsvangirai, has formally withdrawn from the Presidential run-off election scheduled for Friday the 27th of June 2008.

10. The Summit concurs with the view of the Ministerial Troika of the Organ that, in the light of the violence and the charged political atmosphere, the political and security situation in Zimbabwe appears not to be permissive for holding the run-off election in a manner that would be deemed free and fair. It is the considered opinion of the Organ Summit that holding the elections under the current circumstances may undermine the credibility and legitimacy of its outcome. The Organ Summit, therefore, appeals to the responsible authorities in Zimbabwe to consider postponing the election to a later date. The Organ Summit feels strongly that because of the current charged atmosphere the parties and people of Zimbabwe deserve a cooling off period. During the period of postponement of the election and before holding the next election, the parties should engage in talks with the aim of finding best possible ways of resolving their differences and creating a conducive environment for holding the election and managing the affairs of their country thereafter.

11. The Organ Troika Summit believes that the people of Zimbabwe are capable of charting their country's future in peace and harmony. SADC avails its support whenever necessary as it has been doing to date.

12. The Organ Troika Summit commends the 400 SADC Election Observers for the excellent job they have been doing of observing the elections in Zimbabwe. The Organ Troika Summit urges them to stay the course. In the same vein, the Summit thanks and commends SADC Member States who volunteered to send observers.

13. The SADC Organ, at all levels, will remain seized of the situation in Zimbabwe and Malawi.

14. His Excellency President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, President of the United Republic of Tanzania, thanked His Majesty King Mswati Ill of the Kingdom of Swaziland for his leadership in this critical time for the SADC Region as well as for the warm reception and hospitality, and for availing excellent facilities for this important meeting.

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