The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Police Component and the African Union Police Strategic Support Group (AU PSSG) held a consultative meeting from May 7 to 8, 2025, at the SADC Headquarters in Gaborone, Botswana.
The SADC delegation, led by Brigadier Molatlhegi M. Ntelamo, Head of the SADC Planning Element, and Senior Assistant Commissioner Zandile Mnisi, Head of the SADC Police Component, joined by experts from the AU including Retired Commissioner Crowd Chirenje and Ms. Annette Leijenaar, focused on enhancing the region’s police capabilities.
The key goal of the meeting was to improve the visibility and effectiveness of SADC police officers in Peace Support Operations (PSOs), ensuring they are better equipped to respond to emerging regional and continental crises.
The specific objectives included defining the roles of the SADC Police Component, familiarizing officers with the African Standby Force (ASF), clarifying key areas of focus for the Police Component, and providing guidance on PSO and ASF documents from the AU. The meeting also aimed to explore further areas where the AU PSSG could support SADC police forces.
The anticipated outcomes include the strengthening of the Police Component’s structure, increased performance and visibility, improved police selection processes, and better integration with other elements of the SADC Standby Force.
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