“The Southern African Development Community (SADC) consists of 14 member states, namely Angola, Botswana, The Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Of the 14 states 8 are mine-affected, of which Angola, the DRC and Mozambique are the worst affected. Regular participants in the Mine Action Committee of SADC (SMAC) include Angola, Namibia, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe. Swaziland, Tanzania and Zambia participated for the first time in the work of the SMAC during the first annual meeting in Luanda from 26-28 June 2002. In view of the fact that mine action will in the future resort under the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Securiy, the chair country of the OPDS troika would fill the shoes of SMAC from 26 September 2002 – although this is still subject to discussion.”
