Pretoria - The 29th annual meeting of the Standing Maritime Committee (SMC) of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) has been concluded in Cape Town, and was hosted by the South African Navy.
The SADC Standing Maritime Committee meeting is aimed to further relationships and cooperation among the SADC military forces, especially the naval forces in the Southern African region.
The vision of the SMC is to promote peace and prosperity in the SADC region through maritime cooperation.
Addressing the auspicious event, Chief of the South African Navy, Vice-Admiral Monde Lobese said unlike popular narratives, naval forces are not only needed at times of war. He highlighted that even landlocked nations in the region enjoy the benefits of having proficient naval capabilities in the region.
“Navies are not only there to protect our countries in times of war and conflict. In times of peace, our navies must ensure that there are no threats posed to the free flow of trade. I don’t have to remind our land-locked brothers of SADC that even their commerce and trade flows through the harbours of their coastal neighbours.
“The peace and stability of the entire SADC region is intricately related to our ability to reduce threats to our maritime security,” he said.
Lobese praised the atmosphere in which the Cape Town regional meeting took place, specifically the finding of solutions to existing challenges, making his chairmanship of this meeting one of the key highlights of his recent appointment to head the SA Navy.
“I am proud of the resolutions that we managed to reach consensus on. These include the confirmed hosting of the SADC Maritime Exercise next year in the DRC, with the different planning conferences that will be hosted in South Africa, Namibia and the DRC.
“Although the decision as to when and where Exercise Migebuka will be hosted will be discussed next year again, I am confident that this will also be hosted in the near future. As South Africa, we look forward to train your members in the naval coordination and guidance to shipping (NCAGS) qualification.
“We are confident that in the next few years, this SMC can report that all SADC coastal countries have the ability to be self-sustained with regards to the NCAGS capability. I would like to thank Namibia for their willingness to host the Naval Pentathlon in this year,” he said.
Lobese said he hoped that Angola, who did not attend the gathering this year, would be able to host the sailing regatta quite soon.
“As a body, we have also confirmed that we will start implementing the resolutions of the Integrated Maritime Security Strategy Action Plan,” he said.
The SA Navy chief urged the SADC military forces to attend the SMC meeting to be hosted in the DRC next year.
Lobese also took the opportunity to wish the DRC’s Vice Admiral Phillipe Kuyandi who will be chairing the 30th Standing Maritime Committee.
“We look forward to travelling to Kinshasa in the DRC next year. I urge you again, speak to our other brothers and sisters in SADC and urge them to join us there.
“My dear delegates, like I said in my opening address, let us keep the beacon of light that is the Standing Maritime Committee forever burning. I thank you,” Lobese concluded.
The conference was attended by representatives from fellow SADC member states as follows:
The Democratic Republic of Congo was represented by Vice Admiral Phillipe Kuyandi, the Commander of the DRC Navy;
Neighbouring Namibia was represented by Rear Admiral Alweendo Amungulu, the chief of the Namibian Navy;
Tanzania was represented by Rear Admiral Ramson Godwin Mwaisaka, the commander of the Tanzanian Navy;
Neighbouring Zimbabwe was represented by Brigadier General Alpheus Tshuma, the director general joint operations and plans of the Zimbabwean Defence Force;
Botswana was represented by Colonel Patrice Kopi, the commander of corps of engineers of the Botswana Defence Force.
IOL