Your Excellency Mr. William Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya and Chairperson of the East African Community and co-chair of this summit; Your Excellency Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan, President of the United Republic of Tanzania and Chairperson of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation; Your Excellencies, heads of state and government from our regional bodies; honorable ministers who are here; the SADC Executive Secretary, His Excellency Elias Magosi; the EAC Secretary General, Her Excellency Ms. Veronica Nduva; comrades and friends.
It is my distinct honor and privilege to make these remarks of welcome to this historic gathering. Firstly, may I express deep gratitude to you, my dear sister and colleague, Your Excellency President Dr. Samia Hassan, along with the government and people of the United Republic of Tanzania, for the warm welcome and gracious hospitality extended to my delegation since our arrival in this beautiful city of Dar es Salaam. In the same spirit, I also extend sincere appreciation to my dear brother, Your Excellency President William Ruto, for your astute leadership of the East African Community and for agreeing to meet at short notice.
Equally, our respective secretariats, senior officials, and Council of Ministers are commended for their diligent work in preparation for this joint summit. Your efforts have laid a solid foundation for our discussions today. Allow me, on behalf of SADC, the government of the Republic of Zimbabwe, and indeed on my own behalf, to once again convey our heartfelt condolences and deepest sympathies to the member states and families of the brave peacekeepers who lost their lives in the service of the people of DRC and indeed the cause of peace. We also recognize the loss of civilian lives and livelihoods that has resulted from the increased insecurity and insurgency in eastern DRC. Our prayers continue to be made for the affected families and communities.
Your Excellencies, this historic summit of our two regional blocs is testament to our shared commitment to the founding values of the African Union. Such joint initiatives must scale up bold and decisive actions to silence the guns on our continent, but most immediately implement lasting solutions to the escalating conflict and humanitarian crisis in the eastern DRC. Undoubtedly, ongoing instability, growing hostilities, and the ever-increasing number of internally displaced persons in the eastern DRC have far-reaching consequences not only for the people of DRC alone, but also for our regions and the African continent as a whole.
The unity, solidarity, and unbreakable bonds of the peoples of the continent must stand the test of such trying times as we face. We must remain as solidly united as we were during the struggle for complete emancipation and independence of Africa from colonialism. We have a duty and a collective responsibility to comprehensively and frankly tackle and address the various challenges that are impeding the realization of peace and security for the people of eastern DRC.
Drawing from our rich African values and heritage, and further emboldened by the spirit and letter of the United Nations Charter, the Constitutive Act of the African Union, as well as the treaties of both SADC and the EAC, let us seize this opportunity to ensure convergence and a coordinated response which is mutually reinforcing towards one common objective. I thus challenge all of us to approach the agenda before us with openness, honesty, flexibility, and commitment to building a lasting peace for Mother Africa.
The all-encompassing interest of the people of the DRC must be at the core of our deliberations. Let us do much more to realize sustainable peace in our sister Republic of the DRC in our lifetime. SADC notes and acknowledges the progress made under the Luanda and Nairobi processes aimed at silencing the guns as well as facilitating dialogue among all parties to the conflict. This summit therefore should leap us forward towards a concrete roadmap to help resolve the ongoing crisis. As the leaders entrusted to nurture and facilitate unity, peace, and development in this era, we cannot let the peoples of our regions down. Their hope is in us. SADC remains unwavering and committed to continue playing its part. With these remarks, I wish the summit fruitful deliberations. I thank you. Asanteni sana.
