Zambia is among four countries which will act as envoys of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) in the former's quest to resolve the security situation in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Incoming Chairperson of the SADC organ on politics, defence and security cooperation Jakaya Kikwete said being members of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, Angola, DRC, Tanzania and Zambia can help advance SADC ideas on the security crisis in eastern DRC.
Mr Kikwete, who is also President of Tanzania, said the four countries will be used as a bridge between SADC and the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region because the former was eager to find lasting solutions to the deteriorating security in eastern Congo.
He was speaking last evening when he moved a vote of thanks at the close of the 32nd SADC heads of state and government summit that was help in Maputo in Mozambique from 17th to 18th August 2012.
Mr Kikwete said noted that the people of eastern DRC have suffered for too long and therefore deserved to be liberated soon.
He said the skirmishes in the eastern region of DRC have undermined the development process of the country and the region as a whole.
And in a summit communique, SADC Executive Secretary, Thomas Salomao, said the new Chairperson of SADC and President of Mozambique, Armando Guebuza has since been mandated to travel to Rwanda and engage the government of that country to stop military support to armed rebels in the DRC.
Dr Salomao also urged members of the international community to provide humanitarian relief to displaced people in the troubled region.
The security situation in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo worsened in the last three month and caused displacement and death ofmany people and damage to property.
SADC, which comprises of 15 countries, believes that the rebel groups who are perpetuating the security situation in the area are getting support from Rwanda.
DRC is one of Zambia's immediate neighbors and shares the longestborder area than with any of her eight neighbors.
The summit was attended by 12 heads of state and government while Angola was represented by Vice President Fernando da Piedade Dais Dos Santos and Mauritius by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, Arvin Boolell.
