On Sunday, the extraordinary Southern African Development Community (SADC) Double Troika Summit opened in Lusaka, the Zambian capital, with President Hakainde Hichilema saying unity among member countries was vital to end conflicts in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Mozambique.
The summit, which brought presidents of SADC members, was called to address peace and security concerns in the two countries.
The Zambian president said countries needed to unite to find lasting solutions to the conflicts in the eastern part of the DRC and Mozambique's Cabo Delgado region.
"We need to continue working together to ensure there is peace and stability in the region because instability in one country is instability for all of us," said Hichilema, the chairperson for the SADC Organ on Politics, Defense and Security Cooperation.
Finding lasting solutions was necessary because failure to do so would see negative repercussions in all countries in the region, he said, adding that attaining sustainable development will be difficult for the region in the absence of peace in some countries.
The Zambian president emphasized the need for countries to care about the well-being of others because instability could affect any country.
SADC Executive Secretary Elias Magosi said there is a need to use diplomatic and political methods to find lasting solutions to the conflicts in the two countries.