A team of 18 officers who took part in the SADC mission in Cabo Delgado, Mozambique contingent II, have returned home.
Namibia has consistently fulfilled all of its financial obligations to the Southern African Development Community Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM), demonstrating its dedication to fostering peace in Cabo Delgado.
The country committed a cash amount of about N$5,8 million instead of deploying troops to help SADC fight an Islamic extremist insurgency in the Cabo Delgado province of Mozambique.
The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Peya Mushelenga, commended the team for their steadfast dedication.
Dr. Mushelenga said this not only elevated the country's profile in the international peace mission but also contributed to peace and stability in the region.
“The involvement of Namibia in the SADC Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM) was done firstly in accordance with Article 6 of the SADC Mutual Defence Pact, which states that, and I quote, "An armed attack against a state party shall be considered a threat to regional peace and security, and such an attack shall be met with immediate collective action in which each state party shall participate in such collective action in any manner it deems appropriate." Secondly, the issue of regional peace and security remains a priority in our foreign policy. Despite the challenges and the journey that you have travelled since your deployment, Namibia is grateful that the whole contingent has returned without a record of a loss of life. I am certain that those challenges will serve as a basis and a source of inspiration to shape you to face future deployments of this nature.”
In 2021, SAMIM was sent in response to concerns about violent extremism and terrorism that had been afflicting Mozambique's Northern Province of Cabo Delgado since October 2017.
At the time of the attacks, over 2,500 people had died and nearly 700,000 had been displaced.
The northern Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado saw an increase in security during Namibia's term as Chair of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence, and Security, from August 2022 to August 2023.
This resulted in the return of previously displaced people.