13 Mar 2025

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Extraordinary Summit of the Heads of State and Government has terminated its troop deployment in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and directed the commencement of a phased withdrawal.
Addressing the virtual summit yesterday, which President Advocate Duma Boko was a part of, SADC Chairperson Dr Emmerson Mnangagwa, however said SADC nations would continue supporting DRC in its pursuit of safeguarding its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as sustainable peace, security and development. He reaffirmed SADC’s commitment to support interventions aimed at bringing lasting peace and security in eastern DRC.
That, he said would be done in line with the SADC Mutual Defence Pact of 2003.
Also, he said both the African Union Peace and Security Council and the United Nations Security Council reiterated SADC’s call for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire and cessation of hostilities.
He said the Southern African bloc was cognizant of the fact that repercussions of the instability extended beyond the DRC borders as it affected the region at large.
Dr Mnangagwa said SADC was concerned with the continued deterioration of the security situation in the Eastern DRC, including the capturing of Goma and Bukavu as well as the blockage of the main supply routes, making it difficult for humanitarian aid to flow. “It remains crucial going forward, that we infuse a greater sense of urgency in our respective work plans and emphasis must be on collaborative strategies to improve peace and security in the DRC, thus SADC welcomes efforts by the international community to end the conflict particularly, the adoption of Resolution 2773 by the United Nations Security Council,” he said.
 As part of peace efforts, Dr Mnangwaga said, the Luanda and Nairobi peace processes had been merged with more facilitators added to enhance the peace-building process.
In this regard, he said an inclusive and comprehensive dialogue process was essential to strengthen security mechanisms that safeguard the human rights and dignity of the affected communities.Additionally a communiqué released after the summit states that the summit commends the troops for their selfless act, unity, diligence resiliency shown since the beginning of the mission.
It thus called for the protection and free movement of civilians seeking safety and for all parties to uphold international humanitarian principles.
“The summit noted the increasing humanitarian needs in the DRC and calls for the international community including the United Nations and the African Union to provide humanitarian assistance to the people of DRC,” says the communiqué.
It further states that the summit reiterated the need for a political and diplomatic solution with all parties including state; none state parties, military and none military in the eastern DRC for the restoration of peace, security and tranquility in DRC.
The pronouncement to terminate SAMIDRC comes following the deaths of 18 SADC troops deployed around Goma in DRC in late January of which 14 were South African soldiers.
The 16-member SADC deployed its mission in the DRC in December 2023 on a peacekeeping mission but only South Africa, Tanzania and Malawi had deployed troops. ENDS