LILONGWE, Malawi
Malawi Defence Force (MDF) says it will not deploy soldiers to Mozambique as part of a Southern African Development Community (SADC) standby force under the banner Rapid Deployment Capability (RDC).
In an
interview last week, MDF acting spokesperson Major Calvin Mlelemba said there
are “no plans to deploy troops to Mozambique as of now”.
“That is all
I can say as of now. Unless there is a new development, then we will
communicate to your publication and the nation,” he said.
The response
follows an announcement by SADC executive secretary Stergomena Lawrence Tax at
the end of a one-day summit on June 23 2021 that SADC Heads of State and
Government had approved the mandate for the standby force mission to quell the
situation in Calbo Delgado Provide in Mozambique to help combat terrorism and
extremism.
President Lazarus
Chakwera, as incoming chairperson of SADC, was part of the Double Troika Summit
that approved the deployment alongside Mozambique President and current SADC
chairperson Filipe Jacinto Nyusi and several regional heads.
Mlelemba
said SADC member States were making pledges and that Malawi has not pledged
troops to Mozambique under RDC.
He said: “It
is true that Malawi is party to the pact and have participated in all the
meetings conducted in preparation for the deployment of troops to Mozambique.
But Malawi has not pledged troops.”
SADC leaders
resolved to deploy forces to Mozambique’s northern Cabo Delgado Province to
support the country’s military in its fight against an Islamist insurgency.
The
resolution was made at the Extraordinary SADC Heads of State and Government
Summit held in Mozambique’s capital, Maputo, as a continuation of the bloc’s
efforts to address the terrorism in Cabo Delgado.
Terrorists
linked to Al Shabab have killed hundreds of people in the province and
displaced thousands of others since 2017.
The rebels
last year captured the key port town of Mocimboa da Praia.
Deployment
of troops follow a recommendation made by a SADC technical assessment team, who
in April recommended deployment of a 3,000-strong regional force to help
Mozambique “combat and neutralise” the insurgents and recapture territory they
had taken.
During the
June 23 summit, the SADC leaders also approved $12 million budget for the
deployment of the troops.
The sources
of financing for this force are made up of a contingency fund and contributions
from member States that participate in the troops.
The standby
force is part of a regional defence pact that allows military intervention to
prevent the spread of conflict.
Malawi
currently has troops in the Democratic Republic of Congo under a United Nations
mission.
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