An emergency meeting of Southern African Development Community (SADC) heads of state has ordered the immediate deployment of defence ministers and military chiefs from countries contributing troops to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Their mission is to ensure the safety of SADC troops under the SAMIDRC mission and to facilitate the swift repatriation of fallen and wounded soldiers.
This decision was part of a joint statement released after a meeting held in Harare, Zimbabwe, on Friday. The gathering focused on the ongoing intense fighting in eastern DRC between M23 rebels allegedly supported by Rwanda and the DRC army. The rebels have reportedly taken control of Goma, the capital of North Kivu province. Rwanda has repeatedly denied these allegations.
While details about the defence ministers’ and military chiefs’ specific mission were not disclosed, the leaders extended condolences to the governments of the DRC, Malawi, South Africa, and Tanzania for the soldiers killed in recent attacks in Sake, eastern DRC, under the SAMIDRC mission. They also wished a speedy recovery to the wounded.
The statement highlighted that SADC leaders had received the latest security updates on the eastern DRC conflict and expressed deep concern over recent attacks by the M23 rebel group and the Rwanda Defense Forces (RDF) against the DRC army, SADC forces, and civilians in various parts of North Kivu.
The meeting condemned the worsening security and humanitarian situation caused by these attacks and called for the immediate restoration of essential services, including water, electricity, communication, and the supply of food and other goods.
SADC leaders strongly condemned M23’s attacks on SAMIDRC troops in eastern DRC, stating that these actions violated the ceasefire agreement reached through the Luanda process on July 30, 2024. They warned that the attacks undermined peace and security in the DRC and the broader SADC region.
The leaders reiterated their May 2023 decision to deploy a peacekeeping mission to the DRC to support its peace and security efforts and to protect its territorial integrity. However, they acknowledged that these objectives had not yet been fully achieved.
The summit reaffirmed its support for diplomatic efforts to resolve the DRC conflict through the Luanda process, led by Angola’s President João Lourenço, a key African Union peace advocate, and the Nairobi process, spearheaded by former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Additionally, the leaders called for an urgent joint summit between SADC and East African Community (EAC) heads of state to discuss the security situation in the DRC, as recommended during the EAC’s 24th heads of state meeting on January 29, 2025.
The summit also mandated the SADC Troika, the region’s political, defence, and security cooperation body, to engage all governmental and non-governmental stakeholders in the conflict. This engagement aims to ensure a ceasefire, protect lives, and facilitate the smooth delivery of humanitarian aid to affected communities.
Finally, the meeting urged all political and diplomatic leaders involved in the conflict to participate in coordinated peace efforts, including supporting the Luanda process, MONUSCO, and other initiatives to restore peace and security in eastern DRC.