We, the Heads of State and/or Government or our duly authorised Representatives of:
The Republic of Angola
The Republic of Botswana
The Democratic Republic of Congo
The Kingdom of Lesotho
The Republic of Malawi
The Republic of Mauritius
The Republic of Moçambique
The Republic of Namibia
The Republic of Seychelles The Republic of South Africa
The Kingdom of Swaziland
The United Republic of Tanzania
The Republic of Zambia
The Republic of Zimbabwe
In attendance: Former President of the Republic of Botswana and Chairperson of the Champions for an HIV and AIDS Free Generation, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, representative of the African Development Bank, Chief Executive of the NEPAD Planning and Coordination Agency, Secretary General of Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, Secretary General of the East African Commission and Deputy Executive Secretary of Southern African Customs Union.
RECALLING that the objectives of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) are, among others, to consolidate, defend and maintain democracy, peace, security and stability through regional and continental solidarity and integration;
HAVING followed with deep concern the evolving famine situation in Somalia caused by internal strife and drought conditions in the Horn of Africa and noted that this has resulted in a severe humanitarian disaster affecting over 12 million people, including 1.5 million internally displaced people requiring food, water, medical, clothing and shelter supplies and provisions. In addition, 800,000 Somalis have taken refugee in neighbouring countries;
DELIBERATED on the dire situation in the Republic of Somalia, and its adverse impact on its population, which if not immediately responded to through humanitarian supplies and provisions may lead to significant displacement of people and catastrophic loss of life.
NOTED that the right to food to sustain life is a human right, inherent in all people, which ensures a physical and mental, individual and collective fulfillment and dignified life free of fear, and that the drought situation in Somalia has resulted in this right not being achieved and hence undermined the dignity of the affected people.
REAFFIRM our solidarity with the people and Government of the Republic of Somalia at this challenging time in their country and our responsibility to alleviate the suffering of the people.
ENCOURAGE all SADC Member States to consider providing humanitarian relief supplies and provisions to the people and Government of the Republic of Somalia.
SUPPORT the global and continental efforts aimed at alleviating the suffering of people of Somalia through provision of humanitarian supplies and provisions;
EXPRESS its support for and commitment to attend the African Union sponsored Donor Conference on Somalia to be held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on 25 August 2011; and
DECLARE the following, as our urgent response to this humanitarian situation:
pledge to provide urgent humanitarian food and water, medical, clothing and shelter supplies and provisions to the affected people in the Republic of Somalia to prevent displacement of people and loss of life;
direct the SADC Secretariat to coordinate urgent delivery of these supplies and provisions and thanked the Government of South Africa for offering to airlift supplies from the SADC Region; and
continue to monitor the situation and provide support towards long-term recovery;
DONE AT TALATONA INTERNATIONAL CENTRE, Luanda, Republic of Angola on 18 August 2011, in three (3) original texts in the English, French and Portuguese languages, all texts being equally authentic.