SADC decision to control airspace may impact on UNITA

The decision to curb illegal flights in the Southern African region made by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in Malawi last week could constitute a heavy blow to the Angolan rebel group UNITA, the official news agency Angop reported on Monday. Angolan Minister of Transport Luis Brandao, who attended last weekend’s SADC meeting of ministers of transport and communications, was quoted as saying that during the meeting, concerned officials in the region agreed to install radar in the SADC member countries as a way of curbing illegal flights in the region. Brandao added that the SADC decision came as a response to UN sanctions against UNITA. The control of illegal flights will be managed by the installation of mobile radar to prevent aircraft from flying over SADC member countries into Angola, the minister said.