Southern African Development Community (SADC) leaders, led by Tanzania, are working to address Mozambique’s escalating unrest following disputed elections on October 9. President Samia Suluhu Hassan, chair of the SADC organ on politics, defense, and security cooperation, recently convened an emergency virtual meeting to discuss regional support strategies.
Zambia and Malawi, as part of the SADC troika, participated in the discussions. The leaders proposed measures to assist Mozambique in restoring peace and stability. The meeting also reviewed updates from Eswatini, reporting nearly 1,000 Mozambican refugees entering the kingdom in the past two months, with most sheltered at the overwhelmed Malindza Refugee Centre.
Thousands of Mozambicans have fled to neighboring countries, including Malawi, where makeshift camps house displaced families. The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has appealed for urgent funding to expand support at overcrowded facilities.
Tanzania’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Ministers, alongside senior officials, participated in the consultations chaired by President Hassan in Zanzibar, reaffirming SADC’s commitment to addressing the humanitarian and political challenges in Mozambique.