The eve of the opening of the 42nd SADC summit scheduled for Wednesday, August 17, the President of the DRC
and current chairman of ECCAS Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo successively met with his counterparts from
the Republic of Tanzania and the Republic of Malawi this Tuesday afternoon, August 16.
Mrs. Samia Suluhu, President of Tanzania, met with Félix Tshisekedi in a closed session as soon as she arrived at
the Cité de l’Union Africaine.
At the end of their half-hour meeting, the two heads of state made no statement to the press. Later that day, the incoming SADC Chairperson also received the President of Malawi and outgoing SADC Chairperson, Lazarus Chakwera, who will hand over the baton to the incoming President, Félix Tshisekedi.
At the end of the audience, the two heads of state held a joint press briefing. In his brief address to the press, the Malawian head of state thanked his host for the welcome he received on Congolese soil and said he had discussed with him a number of issues in the framework of the DRC-Malawi partnership, as well as how the two countries could develop trade and settle the visa issue.
He also said that as part of regional integration, they have planned the construction of roads and railways to
facilitate mobility in the region. A joint commission will be established to discuss the issue, he revealed.
Regarding security in the east of the country, he promised his support and that of his country to pacify the East and boost the industrialization of the region. He said he was pleased to be in Kinshasa and especially that Felix Tshisekedi has been a wonderful support for him as chairman of SADC, he concluded.
President Tshisekedi thanked his predecessor for the support he promised him at the head of the sub-regional
organization. He also indicated that it is an honor for him to assume the leadership of this organization. Regarding
the issue of security and peace, which were also the subject of their meeting this afternoon, President Tshisekedi
took the opportunity to thank his Malawian counterpart as well as his country for the support within the framework
of the rapid intervention brigade (FIB) under the UN auspices, which is contributing to bringing peace to the DRC
alongside Tanzanian and South African troops.
In closing, Head of State Felix Tshisekedi acknowledged that relations between Malawi and the DRC are
