SADC Summit: Change of Venue to Mbabane, Swaziland

Pretoria- The venue for the forthcoming SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government has now changed from Cape Town to Mbabane, Swaziland on Monday 30 March 2009.

The Summit is convened to consider the economic recovery aid package for Zimbabwe as well as deliberate upon a report on the current situation and developments in Madagascar following the unconstitutional transfer of power last week.

The SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government will be preceded by a meeting  on Sunday 29 March of the SADC Council of Ministers chaired by South African Foreign Minister Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma to process reports to be considered by the Heads of State and Government

With respect to Zimbabwe, the SADC Finance Ministers had met recently in Cape Town, where they made recommendation to the SADC Council of Ministers meeting regarding the economic recovery plan for Zimbabwe.

Accordingly, the SADC Council of Ministers meeting will present a report on the economic recovery plan to the SADC Heads of State and Government for ratification by the SADC Summit.

On the other hand, the SADC Organ Troika on Politics, Defence and Security, which met in Mbabane, Swaziland last week will present a report to the SADC Summit on the political situation in Madagascar as well as the proposed way forward out of the current crisis.

Issued by Ronnie Mamoepa at 082-990-4853

Department of Foreign Affairs
P/Bag X152
Pretoria
0001

24 March 2009