MALAWI TO SEND A COMPANY TO DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

REPUBLIC OF MALAWI

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT

PRESS STATEMENT

Dar es salaam, Tanzania.

Malawi will contribute at least a military company to the 4,000 member Southern African Development Community Peace keeping mission, Vice President Right Honourable Khumbo Kachali has announced.

The Vice President, who represented Her Excellency the President Mrs. Joyce Banda to the SADC extra ordinary meeting of the Heads of State held on Saturday, 08 December, 2012 at the Serena International Hotel, in Dar es salaam, Tanzania made the disclosure at the end of his visit to the Republic of Tanzania.

A military company is comprised of at least 100 to 150 soldiers.

“Malawi has always been committed to peace keeping in the region and beyond. The Malawi Defence Force perfomance has always been excellent is such missions, as such our commitment to peace keeping in the DR Congo is to continue the good work our men and women in uniform have been doing elsewhere,” said the Right Honourable Kachali.

The Vice President said the extra-ordinary meeting of the SADC Heads of State also tackled the issues surrounding peace and transition in Madagascar and the scheduled elections in Zimbabwe, where a roadmap on constitutional reforms had been agreed upon.

The SADC extra ordinary summit was also attended by President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda.

Her Excellency the President Mrs. Joyce Banda is the current Vice Chairperson of the Southern Africa Development Community.

On Sunday, the Vice President was among the SADC and East African Leaders that attended the main celebrations of the Tanzanian mainland 51^st anniversary at Uhuru Stadium in Dar es Salaam. The Vice President also attended an anniversary luncheon at the State House, in Dar es Salaam.

In the evening, Right Honourable Kachali addressed Malawians resident in Dar es Salaam at the High Commissioner’s residence. The Vice President asked Malawians to live peacefully and promote the image of the country.