The summit, chaired by Zimbabwean President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, concluded with a resolution to convene an urgent joint meeting with the East African Community (EAC) to deliberate on the situation.
This decision follows a request from the EAC Summit held on January 29, 2025, which also gathered regional leaders to discuss the deteriorating security conditions in the DRC.
The summit was attended by leaders from Zimbabwe, Botswana, the DRC, Madagascar, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Angola, Malawi, and Namibia.
A moment of remembrance was observed for SADC troops who lost their lives in recent clashes, particularly in the town of Sake. The fallen soldiers were primarily from Tanzania, Malawi, and South Africa.
SADC forces have been operating in North Kivu since December 2023 under an agreement with the Congolese government to help eliminate the M23 rebel group and reclaim territories under its control.
The forces deployed in the DRC under the SADC Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC) have been fighting alongside the Congolese army (FARDC) and allied armed groups, including the FDLR, a militia responsible for the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda but faced heavy resistance.
Initially, 5,000 troops were deployed, including 2,900 from South Africa, which leads the mission, and 2,100 from Tanzania and Malawi. However, their presence has not yielded the expected results, as M23 continues to expand its control, recently seizing key cities such as Sake and Goma.
In June 2024, SADC reinforced its deployment, increasing its troop count to over 9,000, with South Africa contributing an additional 2,600 soldiers, Tanzania 750, and Malawi 1,000.
Despite these reinforcements, the mission has struggled to dislodge M23, which claims to be defending Congolese Tutsi communities targeted by government forces and allied militias.
During the summit, leaders acknowledged that the initial objectives of the SADC deployment had not been met and reiterated the need for diplomatic efforts, including supporting the Luanda and Nairobi peace processes.
They also called for an immediate ceasefire and the restoration of essential services in conflict-affected areas, including water, electricity, and food supply lines.
The summit also mandated the SADC Organ Troika on Politics, Defence, and Security Cooperation to engage all parties to the conflict and push for a ceasefire to facilitate humanitarian aid.
Additionally, it urged political and diplomatic leaders involved in the crisis to intensify dialogue efforts.
IGIHE
