SADC supports AU, ECOWAS on Niger coup

The Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) bloc in Nigeria said on Thursday that the action taken so far by both the African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on the political impasse brought about by the military coup d’etat in the Republic of Niger is in order.

SADC is comprised of Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, DR Congo, South Africa, Angola, Tanzania, and Namibia.

The High Commissioner of Namibia to Nigeria and the Dean of the SADC, H.E. Humphrey Geiseb, said Southern Africa is part of the African Union and is definitely concerned about coups, as expressed by ECOWAS.

He spoke with journalists at Hope of Survival Orphanage Home, Abuja, where SADC donated food items to orphans as part of activities to mark the organisation’s anniversary.

Geiseb noted that the Southern African region is mostly peaceful, saying, “We hold regular elections, and democracy is very strong in our region.”

He further said that there is a need for continuity of democracy everywhere on the continent, stressing that whatever happens in other regions of the African continent indirectly affects SADC.

“So, we are fully behind the statements and positions of ECOWAS and the African Union,” he said.

On the decision to visit the orphanage, he said SADC wanted to provide succour to the orphans and also demonstrate the enduring friendship between the Southern African countries and the government and people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“We came to celebrate with the orphanage here by making official donations. This is our way of honouring the Southern Africa Development Community as well as the Federal Government of Nigeria, which has strongly supported the liberation struggle of Southern Africa.

“Today, our subcontinent is free and independent. Many of our countries can recall that the Federal Republic of Nigeria has strongly supported us during the dark days of colonialism,” he said.