SADC executive secretary H.E. ELIAS magosi pays a courtesy call on outgoing chairperson of the SADC organ on politics, defence & security corporation, H.E. DR. Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi, president of the Republic of Bostwana

The Executive Secretary of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), His Excellency Mr Elias M. Magosi on the 07th March 2022, paid a courtesy call on His Excellency Dr. Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi, the President of the Republic of Botswana, and Outgoing Chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation.

During the meeting, the two discussed various issues aimed at fostering peace, security, and regional integration and development, which H.E. Dr Masisi said should be driven by the fundamentals of good governance and accountability.

The Outgoing Chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation said that some of the priorities that SADC should focus on, include enhanced accountability and good governance at Member State level, for sustainable economic development and regional integration to prevail; the need to increase the pace of implementation as well as harmonisation of policies to achieve the regional goals.

H.E. Dr Masisi said the Government of Botswana, remained committed to the SADC principles and foundation of fostering peace and security for the region to achieve regional integration and sustainable socio-economic development.

Noting that the SADC Secretariat was the principal executive institution of SADC responsible for strategic planning, facilitation and co-ordination and management of all SADC Programmes, H.E. Dr Masisi said the Government of Botswana, as a host to the SADC Secretariat, was available to render any support required to strengthen the operations of the Secretariat.

H.E. Magosi is the seventh Executive Secretary of SADC who assumed his position on 1st September, 2021, following his appointment at the 41st SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government held in Lilongwe, Malawi from 17-18 August, 2021 The SADC Executive Secretary said the courtesy call on H.E. Dr Masisi, was aimed at appraising the President on the operations of the Secretariat and the status of implementation of decisions made by the SADC Council and Summit.

H.E. Magosi expressed appreciation to the support received from the Government of Botswana in facilitating SADC regional programmes and informed H.E. Dr Masisi that the Secretariat, under his leadership will strengthen engagements with the SADC Heads of State and Government to get their inputs and views in the implementation of SADC regional integration.

H.E. Magosi was accompanied by Directors for the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Affairs, Mr Jorge Cardoso, and Dr Mubita Luwabelwa for Policy Planning and Resource Mobilisation from the SADC Secretariat.