SADC extends Congo security mission for another year
Sadc soldiers are seen on a vehicle in Sake, Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on February 11, 2024.
Leaders of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) have extended the regional body's peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) by one year, amid concerns about a growing humanitarian crisis caused by the raging civil war.
The SADC Mission in the DRC (SAMIDRC) was deployed until December 15, 2023, and was due to expire next month.
According to a communique issued after the summit, the regional leaders, who met at an extraordinary summit in Zimbabwe on Wednesday, "expressed concern at the continued deterioration of the security and humanitarian situation in the country".
“(The) summit extended the mandate of the SADC Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo by one year, continuing the regional response to address the prevailing unstable security situation in eastern DRC,” the communique said.
“Summit reiterated the regional commitment expressed in the SADC Mutual Defence Pact that, ‘an armed attack against one shall be deemed a threat to regional peace and security’, and commended member states for demonstrating the spirit of collective regional solidarity through continued contribution and support to the SAMIDRC.”
The regional leaders said they welcomed the continued efforts of the African Union Peace and Security Council and the United Nations Security Council to explore various options in support of the SADC mission.
They also thanked Angolan President João Lourenço for helping to broker a ceasefire between the DRC and Rwanda.
“(The) summit condemned the persistent violations of the ceasefire established on August 4, 2024 and called on all parties to fully adhere to their obligations to preserve peace and security in the region,” the communique added.
“The summit called for enhanced coordinated efforts towards a peaceful and sustainable resolution of the conflict in the eastern DRC among all relevant stakeholders within the joint framework on coordination and harmonisation of peace initiatives and processes in the eastern DRC as agreed at the Quadripartite Summit held on June 27, 2023 in Luanda, Republic of Angola.”
The Harare summit was originally expected to focus on the post-election crisis in Mozambique, where human rights groups say dozens of people have been killed in protests, but the issue was eventually relegated to the sidelines.
Mozambique's outgoing president Filipe Nyusi briefed his counterparts "on the political and security situation in the country" following the elections.
The summit resolved to work with “Mozambique to ensure peace, security and stability through the relevant structures of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation.”
“The summit extended condolences to the government and people of the Republic of Mozambique for the lives lost during the post-election violence,” the communique said.
Zimbabwe announced last week that the summit had been called "to address issues of regional significance", including Mozambique's disputed October 9 elections, which sparked deadly protests after the opposition rejected the results.
However, under unclear circumstances, the agenda was changed to focus on eastern DRC.
Humanitarian agencies say the ongoing conflict in eastern DRC, particularly in North Kivu province, has caused more than 1,000 deaths and displaced more than six million people, making it Africa's worst displacement crisis.
According to the World Food Programme's October operations report, "the security situation in eastern DRC remains dire, [leading to an] increase in humanitarian needs, particularly in the four eastern provinces of North Kivu, Ituri, South Kivu and Tanganyika".
