At an Extraordinary Summit in Harare, Zimbabwe, on Friday, Southern African Development Community (SADC) leaders acknowledged that despite previous peacekeeping efforts, the security situation remains dire in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with over a dozen SADC troops killed in recent fighting.
The Extraordinary Summit was convened to discuss the deteriorating situation in the DRC, where recent clashes have left SADC soldiers dead and displaced thousands of civilians. Fourteen South African troops were killed last week when Rwanda-back M23 rebels took Goma, the capital of North Kivu province. Around 800 deaths and thousands of injuries have been reported from the recent fighting around Goma and Sake.
President of Zimbabwe and Chairperson of SADC, Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, chaired the summit on 31 January, which brought together regional leaders including President Cyril Ramaphosa and Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan.
SADC troops from South Africa, Tanzania, and Malawi deployed under the SADC Mission in the DRC (SAMIDRC) have come under repeated attacks, undermining the 2024 Luanda ceasefire agreement.
“The summit expressed concern that the recent attacks continued to worsen the security and humanitarian situation in the DRC and called for the immediate restoration of essential utilities such as water, electricity, means of communication and supply lines for food and other essential commodities.
“The summit condemned in the strongest terms the attacks on the SAMIDRC troops by the M23 operating in the Eastern DRC, as such actions violated the ceasefire that was brokered through the Luanda Process on 30 July 2024 and undermined peace and security of the DRC and the SADC region,” the leaders said in a joint communique issued at the conclusion of the summit.
Leaders paid tribute to the fallen soldiers from Malawi, South Africa and Tanzania, vowing to ensure their sacrifices would not be in vain.
With growing frustration over continued external involvement in the DRC conflict, SADC leaders signalled a shift towards stronger diplomatic and security measures. The summit also emphasised the need for urgent diplomatic engagement.
Leaders called for an immediate joint summit between SADC and the East African Community (EAC) to develop a unified approach to ending the crisis.
The summit also mandated the SADC Organ Troika on Politics, Defence and Security to engage both State and non-State actors in renewed ceasefire negotiations.
The meeting reinforced SADC’s unwavering support for the DRC’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Leaders praised the resilience of SAMIDRC troops and welcomed Madagascar’s pledge to provide medical support to the wounded and displaced.
“The summit expressed solidarity with the DRC and extended its appreciation to the men and women deployed in the SAMIDRC for their dedication, resilience and service to the preservation of peace and security in the region.”
The summit also welcomed Mozambique’s new President, Daniel Francisco Chapo, to the regional fold, while commending Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan for her leadership in peace and security matters.
While diplomatic efforts will continue through the Luanda and Nairobi processes, SADC made it clear that regional security forces remain on high alert.
Ministers of defence and military chiefs from SADC countries will be dispatched to the DRC to assess the situation on the ground and ensure the safety of troops.
“The summit called for the immediate dispatch of ministers of defence, chiefs of defence and troop contributing countries to the DRC to ensure that the SAMIDRC troops are safe, and facilitate the immediate repatriation of the deceased troops and those who are injured,” the communique said.
After taking Goma, M23 forces have been advancing on Bukavu in South Kivu province. They have been slowed by DRC government forces backed by Burundian soldiers, who in recent days have retaken several M23-held towns. The M23 rebels have said they intend to capture the capital of the DRC, Kinshasha.
