Luanda, March 13, 2026 (Lusa) - Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Africa signed a Tripartite Mechanism for Dialogue and Cooperation on Friday in Pretoria to support the consolidation of peace and stability for the Congolese people, the Angolan Foreign Ministry announced.
According to a press release from the Angolan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the three countries signed this legal instrument as part of efforts to strengthen cooperation between them in the political, diplomatic and economic spheres.
The document, initialled on the sidelines of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Cabinet meeting by the foreign ministers of the three countries, aims to consolidate the strategic partnership between the three nations and promote closer coordination on matters of common interest.
“These include support for the consolidation of peace and stability in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the promotion of regular political dialogue, as well as the strengthening of cooperative relations in various sectors, in accordance with national legislation and the principles of the aforementioned instrument,” the statement reads.
According to the statement, the agreement’s objectives also include strengthening the link between peace and security, economic and social development, respect for human rights and observance of international law.
“The instrument also provides for the promotion of joint projects that contribute to sustainable economic development and the deepening of regional integration,” the statement said.
At the meeting, the three ministers reiterated the importance of this mechanism for strengthening relations between the three countries and for the complementarity of the SADC integration process.
“The Tripartite Mechanism is an institutional structure consisting of the Summit of Heads of State, the Tripartite Council of Ministers, the Meeting of Senior Officials and the Tripartite Committee of Focal Points, bodies responsible for strategic guidance, political coordination and technical monitoring of approved initiatives,” it states.
The chairmanship of the mechanism operates on a rotating basis among the three countries for a period of two years, with regular meetings to assess activities and approve new cooperation initiatives.
"The memorandum enters into force following formal notification between the parties of compliance with their respective domestic legal requirements for its implementation and will have an initial term of six years, automatically renewable for equal periods by agreement between the three States," the note reads.
The Angolan Ministry of Foreign Affairs also highlighted that “the creation of this mechanism reflects the political will of Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Africa to deepen strategic dialogue, promote regional stability and boost opportunities for economic development in Southern Africa and the Great Lakes region”.
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