The Southern Africa Peoples’ Solidarity Network (SAPSN) will convene a People’s Summit to shadow the SADC Extraordinary Double Troika Summit to be held on the 8th of April 2020 in Maputo, Mozambique
Representatives from different solidarity networks and social movements within the SADC region will participate in the virtual People’s Summit and contribute to a joint Communique to be presented to SADC leaders and the media.
The SADC Extraordinary Double Troika has been convened by Heads of States ‘to deliberate on measures to address terrorism in the Republic of Mozambique’.
This follows the escalation of violent conflicts in the Cabo Delgado Province in Northern Mozambique. The conflict in Cabo Delgado started in 2017 and was instigated by the Ansar al Sunna group or Al-Shabaab in Mozambique.
It has resulted in the displacement of nearly 670 000 people and nearly 3 000 deaths. A deep seated humanitarian crisis precipitated by the conflict has left more than one million people in need of emergency support. SADC has both the mandate and responsibility to address the devastating impacts of the conflict on the people of Mozambique and the SADC region at large.
SAPSN stands in solidarity with the people of Mozambique as they contend with multiple intersecting crises including the military conflict, serious human rights violations and the unaccountable plunder of natural resources by vested local and foreign interests.
In particular, SAPSN continues to urge SADC leaders to urgently mobilise a comprehensive regional response to address the security, human rights, economic and human rights impacts of the conflict.
SAPSN also echoes long standing calls by the Mozambican Civil Society for locally led democratic processes to address the underlying causes of the conflict.
The Summit will be Chaired by Mr Rashid Mahiya of the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition and Professor Adriano Nuvunga from Centre for Democracy and Development (Mozambique) will give the keynote address followed by interventions from Cde Nzira de Seus (Women’s Forum); Dewa Mavinga (Human Rights Watch) and Muleta Kapasito (Legal Expert, Zambia).
SAPSN is a membership-based network of national movements and people driven initiatives for social and economic justice within the SADC region. The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition chairs the Human Rights and Governance Assembly of SAPSN.
Source: Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition