The decision was reached during a virtual Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government, chaired by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, on Thursday, March 13, 2025.
The summit deliberated on the security situation in eastern DRC, where SADC forces had been deployed to support the Congolese army and their allied forces to neutralize the M23 rebel group.
Leaders reaffirmed their commitment to regional peace and security, urging continued diplomatic engagement to address the crisis. The DRC government and M23 rebels are set to hold peace talks in Angola on March 18 in an attempt to resolve the conflict.
The withdrawal of SADC troops follows concerns over escalating tensions and humanitarian challenges in the region.
The summit also called on the international community, including the United Nations and the African Union, to provide humanitarian assistance to civilians affected by the violence in eastern DRC.
SADC, a regional economic bloc comprising 16 member states, includes the DRC, Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zambia.
The bloc had deployed its military intervention force, SAMIDRC, in December 2023, consisting of South African, Tanzanian, and Malawian troops, with an offensive mandate to defeat M23 and other rebel groups.
Despite an initial deployment period, SADC extended the mission's mandate by one year in November 2024, citing continued hostilities between the Congolese army and the M23 group, which says it's fighting against the systematic persecution of the Tutsi minority community. However, the mission faced significant challenges, including battlefield losses.
SADC forces suffered 18 fatalities, including 14 South African soldiers, two from Malawi, and two from Tanzania, in clashes leading to the capture of Goma in January. Dozens of others were wounded, further intensifying scrutiny over the mission's viability.
Since the fall of Goma, SADC troops have remained confined to their bases, facing mounting pressure for repatriation, particularly from South African lawmakers, who questioned the justification for the country's involvement in the conflict. Critics argue that South African soldiers have been put in unnecessary danger, sacrificing lives for a foreign conflict driven by private interests.
Wycliffe Nyamasege
Source : https://en.igihe.com/news/article/sadc-terminates-troop-mission-in-drc-orders-withdrawal-of-forces
