SADC remains 'unequivocally' committed to DRC sustained peace

Saturday, August 16, 2025

Southern African Development Community (SADC) Executive Secretary, Elias Magosi, has reaffirmed the regional bloc’s “unequivocal” commitment to promoting lasting peace in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Magosi was speaking during the SADC Ministerial Committee of the Troika of the Organ (MCO) on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation meeting on the margins of the Heads of State and Government Summit.

“In the Democratic Republic of Congo, while troops

have been withdrawn from the SADC Mission (SAMIDRC), as mandated by the Summit in March this year, our commitment to fostering sustainable peace in eastern DRC remains unequivocal,” Magosi said.

Violence escalated in the DRC, with government soldiers having clashed with M23 fighters, leading to the involvement of the SADC Mission in the DRC (SAMIDRC), comprising soldiers from across the regional bloc, including those from South Africa.

The mission was subsequently withdrawn from the DRC following deadly clashes that claimed the lives of at least 14 South African soldiers, amongst others.

Magosi said SADC’s commitment to fostering sustainable peace in the eastern DRC "remains unequivocal”.

“On 13 August, the Joint Summit of the East African Community (EAC) and SADC convened to consolidate regional and continental efforts in response to the security challenges in the region. 

“A key outcome of this engagement was the merger of the EAC-SADC and African Union (AU) mediation structures into a unified, AU-led process, alongside the consolidation of technical secretariats, under the leadership of the AU Commission. This strategic alignment marks a significant milestone in harmonising regional peace initiatives, as well as facilitating leadership by the continental body. 

“Substantive progress is anticipated as the integrated structures work collaboratively to fulfil their mandate and contribute meaningfully to lasting peace and stability in eastern DRC,” Magosi said.

During the meeting, the Ministers considered several key issues, including:

• The security situation and political-diplomatic responses to the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
• The political and security situation in the Republic of Mozambique.
• Resolution of the DRC-Zambia border matter.
• Review of elections in the region.
• Mediation, conflict prevention, and preventive diplomacy mechanisms.

Turning to elections in the region, Magosi implored members of the regional body to implement SADC Electoral Observation Missions’ (SEOMs) recommendations.

“While absolute perfection in electoral systems may remain an aspirational goal, the pursuit of continuous and targeted improvements is both achievable and essential to enhancing the quality and credibility of our democracies.

“This guiding principle informs the work of the [SEOMs], whose findings and recommendations serve as valuable tools to support Member States in strengthening their electoral frameworks.

“To fully realise the benefits of SEOM recommendations, it is important that they are not only acknowledged, but also systematically implemented. While progress has been made, there remains an opportunity to deepen our collective commitment to this process. Identifying appropriate support mechanisms to assist Member States in this endeavour will be key to ensuring consistency and accountability,” Magosi said. – SAnews.gov.za