Story by Oleen Ndori, Foreign Desk Editor
THE Southern African Development Community (SADC) has officially commenced the phased withdrawal of troops from the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
The SADC Secretariat said the withdrawal is being conducted by road, transiting through the Republic of Rwanda to the respective Troop Contributing Countries (TCCs) of Malawi, Tanzania and South Africa deployed in December 2023.
The phased withdrawal of the troops follows the directive of the Extraordinary Summit of SADC Heads of State and Government held on March 13, 2025, which announced the termination of the SAMIDRC mandate and endorsed the immediate phased withdrawal of the Mission.
The Secretariat further stated that the decision to withdraw troops was further supported by the outcomes of the engagement held in Goma, DRC, on March 28, between the Chiefs of Defence Force of the Troop Contributing Countries (TCCs) and the leadership of the Alliance Fleuve Congo/Movement of 23 March (AFC/M23).
During the 44th SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government held in Harare, the crisis in eastern DRC was deliberated, with regional leaders further committing to calls to finding a peaceful resolution to the conflict in subsequent summits held in Harare and Dar es Salaam as well as virtually to deliberate on the matter.
SADC and the EAC have continuously re-affirmed their continued commitment to a sustainable resolution to the conflict in Eastern DRC.
