SADC ministers worried about Madagascar's membership fees

Luanda, Luanda – The Council of the Ministers of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) expressed on Monday in Luanda its preoccupation at the membership fees of Madagascar, as this country was not expelled out from the organisation. This was said to the press on Monday by the Deputy Executive Secretary for SADC Integration, João Caholo, while assessing the first day of the meeting. According to him, Madagascar was only suspended by the organisation due to its political crisis. However, João Caholo recommended the secretariat to continue to make efforts at high level and co-operate with member states, so that Madagascar may pay its membership fees to the organisation. On Monday, the participants to SADC Council of Ministers also reviewed the remittance situation until 13 January 2011. The meeting is ending on Tuesday with the adoption of a strategy the fight against piracy, in the Indian Ocean, with highlight to the horn of Africa. The proposals will be submitted to the meeting of regional organisation’s Heads of State and Government set for August 17-18, in Luanda. SADC comprises Angola, South Africa, Botswana, DRC, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.