The heads of state and government of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) have backed the East African Community’s (EAC) recent proposal on the next step concerning the security situation in DR Congo, according to a communiqué issued on Friday, January 31. This is one of the outcomes of the Extraordinary Summit of the Heads of State and Government of SADC), held on January 31, in Harare, Zimbabwe, to deliberate on the security situation in DR Congo – which is both a member of SADC and EAC. ALSO READ: EAC leaders urge DR Congo to ‘engage with’ M23 rebels “The Summit called for an immediate joint Summit of SADC and East African Community (EAC) to deliberate on the way forward regarding the security situation in the DRC as proposed by the 24th Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State of the EAC held on 29th January 2025,” the communiqué reads in part. This follows the capture of Goma, a city in DR Congo’s conflict-ridden eastern region, by M23 rebel group. ALSO READ: Exiting EAC regional force says to hand over to SADC troops SADC leaders have once again accused M23 of attacking their forces deployed in DR Congo for an offensive mission – an allegation the rebel group has consistently denied. M23 argues it resorted to the use of arms in the DR Congo crisis is an attempt to protect the rights of Kinyarwanda-speaking Congolese who have been for a long time persecuted by the DR Congo government. The rebel group says the Congolese army and allies have been violating ceasefire agreements such as the Luanda peace process as a plot to undermine its efforts. For the rebel group, foreign forces and mercenaries should not meddle in the conflict by standing in its way while it is fighting for the rights of the citizens in their own country. ALSO READ: DR Congo crisis: M23 announces plans to march to Kinshasa Meanwhile, the Summit also called for the immediate dispatch of ministers of defence, chiefs of defence and Troop Contributing Countries to DRC to ensure that the Southern African Development Community Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC) troops are safe and facilitate immediate repatriation of the deceased troops and those who are injured. SAMIDRC was deployed on December 15, 2023 to support the Congolese government army and its coalition, including the FARDC genocidal forces to fight M23. It reiterated its support to the diplomatic efforts to secure a peaceful resolution to the conflict in the eastern DRC through the Luanda Process, led by João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, President of Angola and the African Union Champion for Peace and Reconciliation in Africa and the Nairobi Process, led by Uhuru Kenyatta, former President of the Republic of Kenya. It mandated the SADC Organ Troika on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, to engage all state and non-state parties to the conflict on a ceasefire process to protect lives and facilitate a smooth flow of humanitarian support to people and communities affected by the armed conflict. It also urged political and diplomatic leaders who are parties to the conflict to engage in a coordinated effort of dialogue, including supporting the Luanda Process, MONUSCO and others, to restore peace and security in eastern DRC. Who attended the Summit? The Summit was attended by the heads of state and government of the SADC member countries, or their representatives. They include Zimbabwean President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, who officially opened and chaired it in his capacity as Chairperson of SADC; Botswana President Advocate Duma Gideon Boko; DR Congo President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo; Madagascar President Andry Rajoelina; Mozambican President Daniel Francisco Chapo; and South African President Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa. There were also Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema; Lesotho Prime Minister Samuel Ntsokoane Matekane; Eswatini Deputy Prime Minister Thulisile Dladla, Angolan Minister of External Relations Ambassador Téte António; Malawian Minister of Foreign Affairs Nancy Gladys Tembo, and Namibian Minister of Defence and Veterans Affairs Frans Kapofi.
