Mozambique will host tomorrow, August 17, the 40th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), which will take place virtually due to the limitations imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic. At the event with the motto “SADC: 40 Years Building Peace and Security, Promoting Development and Resilience in the Face of Global Challenges”, Mozambique will assume the rotating presidency of the organization, whose mandate is for one year.
The SADC Summit is taking place at a time when Mozambique is facing terrorist attacks in the northern districts of Cabo Delgado. The great questions are: How will Mozambique capitalize on its SADC presidency to mobilize support from member countries in the fight against armed violence in Cabo Delgado? What strategies does the Government of Mozambique have to take advantage of the SADC presidency as a unique opportunity to put greater pressure on peers to look at violent extremism in Cabo Delgado as a threat to the entire region?
Another issue has to do with SADC’s own ability to tackle terrorism. What can countries in the region offer to support Mozambique in the fight against violent extremism? In addition to strengthening border control, how can states in the region become involved in the fight against terrorism in Mozambique?
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