President Nangolo Mbumba is expected to emphasise the primacy of peace and stability in the SADC region during his maiden address at the 44th ordinary summit of the regional bloc.
The summit is scheduled to take place from the 16th–17th of August in the Zimbabwean capital, Harare.
Press Secretary Alfredo Hengari shared the Namibian delegation's programme at the regional summit, shortly before President Mbumba's departure to Harare.
"Namibia has been a constructive player in the development and stability of the region. Not so long ago, the late President Geingob chaired SADC and also chaired the SADC organ. Namibia is an outgoing chair of the organ, and in that vein, Namibia will also participate in the Organ Troika summit on Friday, I must also say that President Mbumba will also express concern about developments in the eastern DRC because the President believes that without peace in the DRC, the aspirations and goals of SADC as espoused in its objectives would not be fully met."
The Organ Troika summit will deliberate on the progress report on the SADC Mission in the DRC, which was deployed in December last year.
The regional force is working alongside the Congolese Army to fight armed groups that have been causing havoc in the Eastern DRC.
Other discussions of the Organ Troika include the implementation of the drawdown and withdrawal plan of the SADC Mission in Mozambique.
The drawdown and withdrawal plan was expected to be finalised by July 15, 2024, but concerns still linger owing to the increased attacks by terrorist groups since the beginning of the year.
Furthermore, the SADC leaders would also review progress on the implementation of the priorities of the SADC Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan.
The plan, which lapses in seven years, aims to drive the region forward to a middle- to high-income industrialised region and further draws impetus from the overall integration agenda.
Zimbabwe takes over the chairship under the theme "Promoting Innovation to Unlock Opportunities for Sustained Economic Growth and Development Towards an Industrialised SADC."