The Southern African Development Community (SADC) convened a virtual Extraordinary Summit on Thursday, March 6, 2025, bringing together heads of state and government from the Organ Troika, SAMIDRC troop-contributing countries, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The summit focused on the security situation in the DRC, as well as discussed the report on the review of the SAMIDRC mandate in DRC.
The summit was chaired by Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who also serves as the Chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence, and Security Cooperation. Other leaders in attendance included DRC President Félix Tshisekedi, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Zambian President and outgoing Chairperson of the SADC Organ Hakainde Hichilema, and Malawian President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera.
READ: African-Led Process on DR Congo Crisis: Slow by Design or Lacking Levers to Deliver?
A statement released by the SADC Secretariat indicated that the final decision on the future of the SAMIDRC mission would be made at an upcoming Extraordinary Summit of SADC Heads of State and Government. The statement further noted that the summit had reviewed the Defence Sub-Committee’s report and forwarded its outcomes and recommendations to the main summit for further deliberation.
The summit reaffirmed SADC’s commitment to supporting efforts to bring lasting peace and security to eastern DRC, in line with the SADC Mutual Defence Pact of 2003. The reference to the pact underscores SADC’s continued dedication to assisting the DRC in times of need. In her opening remarks, President Samia emphasized SADC’s determination to support the DRC, reiterating the region’s solidarity with the Congolese people in the spirit of unity and cooperation.
Deployed in December 2023, the SAMIDRC mission has faced increasing pressure following the M23 advance and troop losses. In South Africa, where the country has lost 14 of its soldiers in DRC, there has been an increasingly calls for withdrawal. Additionally, M23 and its allies have explored the use of social media to target the SAMIDRC troops contributing countries, using ‘humiliation’ and misinformation as a strategy, something that prompted the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to denounce on March 03, 2025.
“The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has noted a series of viral videos circulating on various platforms showing misleading content about the SANDF. These propaganda videos are clearly aimed at portraying the SANDF as a disorganised and ill-disciplined force,” the SANDF statement read.
The statement continued: “The videos are further meant to demoralise our dedicated military professionals. It is clear that those who are spreading these videos are engaging in a propaganda campaign, specifically targeting the South African population and members of the SANDF to undermine confidence in their national defence force. We call on the South African public, particularly SANDF members, not to fall for such despicable propaganda by believing what is circulating on social media.”
The date for the upcoming summit of SADC Heads of State and Government is expected to be announced soon.
Since the last SADC and EAC-SADC summits, the security situation in the DRC has worsened, with M23 rebels advancing from Goma, where they had appointed a new administration, to Bukavu, and also have appointed a new administration. In response, the DRC government has intensified diplomatic efforts, reaching out to allies such as the United States and European nations, leveraging its mineral resources to seek security guarantees.
Meanwhile, Rwanda has faced sanctions from the United States, Germany, and Canada over its support for M23 rebels. The United Nations has also called on Rwanda to withdraw its troops from the DRC.
Rwanda has criticized the sanctions, calling them an interference in the African-led solution to the crisis. However, tangible solutions or mitigation measures from this African-led approach have yet to be seen.
