'African led solutions' critical to advancing SADC

Sunday, August 17, 2025

While security concerns persist in parts of southern Africa, the region remains “generally stable and peaceful”.

This is according to Southern African Development Community (SADC) Executive Secretary, Elias Magosi, who delivered the opening address of the regional bloc’s 45th Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government.

Magosi noted that prior to the summit, the SADC’s

troikas on security convened to conduct a review of the region’s political and security state, particularly that of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Kingdom of Lesotho and the Republic of Mozambique.

“With regards to the DRC… following the withdrawal of the SAMIDRC [SADC Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo] troops earlier this year, a strategic decision was taken to create an enabling environment for dialogue and diplomatic engagement.

“To this end, the Joint SADC-EAC [East African Community] Summit, held on the 13 August 2025, endorsed the measure of the Nairobi and Rwanda process into a single integrated initiative, which is supported by a distinguished panel of facilitators drawn from a rich pool.

“This unified approach marks a pivotal moment in regional democracy, affirming the need for harmonising action to effectively deal with the complexity of the conflict in Eastern DRC,” Magosi said. 

Magosi said the measure “sends a clear message that African led solutions are vital to overcoming our shared challenges in advancing unity, resilience and self-determination”.

Honouring heroes

The executive secretary acknowledged the soldiers who lost their lives in the eastern DRC conflict. 

At least 20 SAMIDRC soldiers lost their lives, including 14 from South Africa.

“We… honour the courageous men and women who gave their lives under the SADC Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Their sacrifice in defence of sovereignty and peace in the Eastern DRC is, to me, a heavy price that they have paid for the region’s core values of solidarity, unity and mutual protection.

“We extend our deepest condolences to their families and nations. May their souls also rest in eternal peace,” Magosi said. – SAnews.gov.za