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The Summit of Heads of State and Government of the SADC was held in Lusaka, Republic of Zambia from August 16 to 17, 2007.
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The Summit was officially opened by the Right Honourable Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Lesotho and SADC Chairperson, Mr Pakalitha Mosisili.
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Summit elected His Excellency Mr Levy Patrick Mwanawasa, the President of the Republic of Zambia and His Excellency Mr Thabo Mbeki, the President of the Republic of South Africa as Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson of SADC respectively.
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Summit elected His Excellency Mr Jose Eduardo dos Santos, the President of the Republic of Angola and His Majesty King Mswati 111 of the Kingdom of Swaziland as Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson of SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Co-operation respectively.
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The Summit was attended by the following Heads of State and Government:
Angola: H.E. President Jose Eduardo dos Santos
Botswana: H.E. President Festus Mogae
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC): H.E. President Joseph Kabila
Lesotho: The Right Honourable Prime Minister, Mr Pakalitha Mosisili
Madagascar: H.E. President Marc Ravalomanana
Malawi: H.E. President Bingu wa Mutharika
Mauritius: The Honourable Prime Minister, Dr Navinchandra Ramgoolam
Mozambique: H.E. President Armando Emilio Guebuza
Namibia: H.E. President Hifikepunye Pohamba
South Africa: H.E. President Thabo Mbeki
United Republic: H.E President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete of Tanzania
Zambia: H.E. President Levy P Mwanawasa
Zimbabwe: H.E. President Robert G Mugabe
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The following organisations were also represented at the Summit: African Union, New Partnership for Africa's Development (Nepad), Economic Commission for Africa, Common Market for East and Southern Africa (Comesa) and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR).
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His Excellency President Mwanawasa, host of the 27th Summit welcomed the SADC Heads of State and Government and other delegates to the Republic of Zambia.
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In his address to the opening session of the Summit, the Outgoing Chairperson, the Right Honourable Prime Minister, Mr Pakalitha Mosisili of the Kingdom of Lesotho, thanked Member States for the support rendered to him during his tenure of office since the 2006 Summit. He noted the progress made towards deeper regional integration and efforts to achieve the Free Trade Area (FTA) in 2008. He also called for a review of the regional energy situation, the removal of all barriers to facilitate the movement of goods, including an effective operationalisation of corridors to alleviate the inhibiting costs of transport especially landlocked SADC Member States. He handed over the SADC Chairpersonship to his Excellency President Mwanawasa, of the Republic of Zambia.
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In accepting the SADC Chairpersonship, His Excellency President Mwanawasa thanked the Outgoing Chairperson for the progress achieved during his leadership of SADC. President Mwanawasa undertook to provide leadership towards the operationalisation of the FTA in 2008, consolidate and accelerate preparations towards the Customs Union.
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The Summit reviewed the Report from the outgoing Chairperson of the Organ on Politics, Defence and security Co-operation, the President of the United Republic of Tanzania, His Excellency Mr Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete. Summit noted the Report which highlighted the implementation of the Strategic Indicative Plan of the Organ (SIPO) and in particular human resources requirements for its implementation.
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Summit noted the consolidation of democracy and political stability in the region. In this regard, Summit noted the peaceful and orderly manner in which the people of the DRC, the Kingdom of Lesotho, the Republic of Madagascar and the Republic of Zambia exercised their democratic rights as they voted in the presidential and parliamentary elections held in their respective countries. Summit noted that SADC Observer Missions were present and pronounced the elections peaceful, credible, free and fair, transparent and professionally managed.
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The Summit congratulated the people of the DRC, the Kingdom of Lesotho, the Republic of Madagascar and the Republic of Zambia for these elections.
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The Summit was briefed that the negotiations between Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) and both factions of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) were progressing smoothly. Summit commended President Thabo Mbeki. Summit welcomed the progress and encouraged the parties to expedite the process of negotiations and conclude work as soon as possible so that the next elections are held in an atmosphere of peace allowing the people of Zimbabwe to elect the leaders of their choice in an atmosphere of peace and tranquillity.
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Summit took note of the Report of the Executive Secretary on the economic situation in Zimbabwe and mandated the SADC Ministers responsible for Finance to use the Report of the Executive Secretary in consultations with the Government of Zimbabwe and draw up an economic plan to support Zimbabwe.
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Summit launched the SADC Brigade consisting of military, police and civilian components from all SADC Member States which was set up under the provisions of the African Union which recommends that each of its five Regional Economic Communities (RECs) should have a standby capacity for peace support operations on the continent.
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Summit received the report of the Ministerial Task Force on Regional Economic Integration on the review of the implementation of the SADC Free Trade Area and noted that there is a basis to declare the SADC Free Trade Area in 2008.
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Summit noted progress made in the preparation of the SADC Customs Union Road Map and urged the Ministerial Task Force to accelerate the completion of this work and reaffirmed its earlier decisions on the need to accelerate the implementation of related trade and economic programmes.
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Summit reviewed the recent economic developments in the region and noted with satisfaction that the region registered positive economic growth. Summit urged Member States to continue implementing sound macroeconomic policies that enhance the increasing macroeconomic convergence.
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Summit held a special session focussing on strategies to accelerate regional infrastructure development to support deeper regional integration and development. To this effect, Summit directed the Secretariat to work out the details of a regional Master Plan for Infrastructure Development in close co-operation with Member States.
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Summit noted progress being made in the implementation of the Maseru Declaration on Combating HIV and AIDS. The achievements include the approval of the Framework for Operationalising the SADC HIV and AIDS Regional Fund, the training of 80 Officials from Member States as Trainers of Trainers in HIV and AIDS mainstreaming, the development of core indicators for tracking progress in the implementation of the Maseru Declaration and other commitments and the development of a Framework for identifying and documenting Best Practices in the region.
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The Summit reviewed the food security situation in the region and noted that Malawi and Zambia have a cereal surplus. In response to humanitarian assistance requirements in the region and within the SADC co-operation framework, Malawi pledged a donation of 5 000 metric tonnes to Swaziland and 5 000 metric tonnes to Lesotho. Zambia donated 10 000 tonnes to the Region through World Food Programme.
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Summit noted the progress made towards achieving the set target of 50% women representation in decision making and reaffirmed its commitment to attain this target. Summit noted progress on the negotiations of the protocol on gender and development and agreed to defer its signature to allow some Member States to conclude their internal consultations.
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Summit also received a Declaration from the 2007 SADC First Spouses Summit that took place in Lusaka under the theme: "Accelerating Progress in Achieving Gender Equality."
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Summit noted, with satisfaction, the progress being made towards the construction of the SADC Headquarters in Gaborone, Botswana and approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) underwriting the financing of the project.
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Summit took note of the progress made in the preparations of the SADC International Conference on Poverty and Development that will be held in Mauritius in April 2008. The SADC Ministerial Consultative Conference with International Co-operating Partners (ICPs) will be held back to back with this Summit Conference.
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Summit signed the following legal instruments:
* Agreement to Amend Article 22 of the SADC Treaty
* Agreement to Amend the Protocol on the Tribunal
* Agreement to Amend Annex VI to the Protocol on Trade
* Memorandum of Understanding amongst SADC Member States on the SADC Headquarters
* Memorandum of Understanding on the establishment of the SADC Standby Brigade.
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The Summit noted the retirement of President F Mogae of the Republic of Botswana and thanked President Mogae for the invaluable contribution he has made to deepening SADC economic integration and cooperation.
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The Summit expressed its appreciation to the government and people of the Republic of Zambia for its warm hospitality extended to all delegates and facilities provided.
His Excellency President Levy Patrick Mwanawasa officially closed the Summit. The 2008 Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government will be held in the Republic of South Africa.
Lusaka, Republic of Zambia
August 17, 2007
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