SADC TO WITHDRAW SOLDIERS FROM DRC

In a significant development, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) has announced the withdrawal of its peacekeeping mission from the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), citing the need for a strategic reassessment of its role in the region.

The decision was made during a virtual Extraordinary SADC Summit chaired by Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is also the SADC Chairperson.

The SADC Mission in the DRC (SAMIDRC), deployed to address the escalating security crisis in the region, will now enter a withdrawal phase. President Mnangagwa said while the mission is being pulled out, SADC remains committed to monitoring the political and security situation in eastern DRC.

“The withdrawal of SAMIDRC notwithstanding, our august regional body will remain seized with the political and security situation in eastern DRC,” President Mnangagwa said in his closing remarks.

He called for the accelerated implementation of decisions made during the Joint SADC-East African Community (EAC) meeting, including the merger of the Luanda and Nairobi Peace Processes, which aim to foster dialogue and lasting peace in the region.

The decision to withdraw comes after months of deliberation and reflects the complex challenges faced by the mission, including ongoing violence, resource constraints, and the need for a more sustainable approach to peacebuilding. The region has been plagued by armed conflict, with numerous rebel groups vying for control, displacing thousands, and creating a humanitarian crisis.

President Mnangagwa expressed gratitude to the troop-contributing countries and all SADC member states for their support of SAMIDRC. He appealed for continued cooperation to ensure the safe withdrawal of troops and equipment from the region.

“As our Mission enters a withdrawal phase, we appeal for continued support to facilitate the safe withdrawal of all our troops and evacuation of our equipment,” he said.

The SADC Chairperson reaffirmed the bloc’s solidarity, saying, “Our SADC solidarity is unshakable and must be upheld and safeguarded for generations to come.” He declared the summit officially closed, marking the end of what he described as “frank and productive deliberations.”

The SADC is a regional economic community comprising 16 member states, aimed at promoting socio-economic cooperation and integration, as well as political and security collaboration among its members. Herald 

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