Southern African leaders meet amid mpox concerns and a political crackdown in summit host Zimbabwe

(18 Aug 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Harare, Zimbabwe - 17 August 2024
1.⁠ ⁠Tanzania President Samia Suluhu Hassan arriving at SADC summit venue in Harare
2. Angola President João Lourenço arriving at SADC summit venue
3.⁠ ⁠South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa arriving at SADC summit venue
4.⁠ ⁠DR Congo President Felix Tshisekedi arriving at SADC summit venue
5.⁠ ⁠SADC summit meeting underway wide of venue
6. Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa, the new chairperson for SADC, and SADC Executive Secretary Elias Magosi preparing to give speeches
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Elias Magosi, SADC Executive Secretary:
(AUDIO AS INCOMING)
"Summit extended solidarity and support to member states affected by mpox and further requested the World Health Organization, Africa CDC and other partners to avail the resources towards the mpox response in the region."
8. Wide of SADC meeting delegates
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Emmerson Mnangagwa, President of Zimbabwe:
++AUDIO AS INCOMING++
"Each chairperson carries forward with a vision of the region. If I am going to carry my own vision I will detail the vision of the region. I will abide carrying forward the vision of the region."
10. Mnangagwa leaving after speeches.
STORYLINE:
The heads of state of Southern African Development Community (SADC) met in Zimbabwe on Saturday for a scheduled summit that discussed the rising issue of mpox outbreaks across the continent - but is less likely to tackle international concerns about the human rights record of its host.
Elias Magosi, SADC Executive Secretary, extended "solidarity and support" to member states affected by mpox and requested the World Health Organization, Africa's centres for disease control and other partners to tackle the disease.
This week, the WHO declared the mpox outbreaks in Africa a global health emergency.
The SADC region includes Congo, which has more than 90% of mpox cases.
Mpox has been present in central and West Africa for years, but it has been detected in more than a dozen African countries this year, including some where it was never previously reported.
Scientists have also identified a new form of mpox in Congo that might be more infectious.
WHO raised concerns it might start to spill over international borders, and Sweden has reported its first case of the new variant.
AP Video by Pindai Dube
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