Joint EAC And SADC Leaders Summit On DRC Conflict Takes Place In Dar es Salaam
Updated: 46 minutes ago
A joint East African Community (EAC) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) Heads of State and Government Summit on the bloody armed conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), took place in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on February 8, 2025. That was reported by some African media.
According to the reports, the summit was attended by the following heads of state.
Host President Samia Hassan of Tanzania
SADC chairperson President Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe
EAC chairperson President William Ruto of Kenya
President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa
President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda
President Hakainde Hichilema of Zambia
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of Somalia
President Paul Kagame of Rwanda
President Felix Tshisekedi of DRC (via video link)
The summit comes after rebels of the notorious group M23 supported by thousands of Rwandan troops stormed and captured the capital city of North Kivu Province on January 26, 2025. Since then, they have captured a key mining town in the province, and are now seemingly heading towards South Kivu's capital city of Bukavu. Reportedly, the rebels and their Rwandan backers have even vowed to head westwards to capture DRC capital Kinshasa!
Also, M23 rebels and Rwandan troops as they made their advance in North Kivu Province, are said to have committed serious atrocities that include killing of innocent civilians, and gang rape of women and girls. United Nations estimates that 3000 people have been killed, and thousands wounded, since the rebels and Rwandan troops entered Goma city, while hundred thousands of people have been displaced.
The summit therefore took place within the context of the above escalating situation in DRC, and is said to have been necessitated by considerable differences, so far, in the stances of EAC and SADC on the conflict.
On the one hand, EAC's stance has been rather soft and probably ambiguous, calling for dialogue between DRC government and rebels and invading Rwandan troops.
On the other hand, SADC's stance has been tough, focusing on the need for respect of territorial integrity and sovereignty, hence advocating for immediate withdrawal by M23 rebels and Rwandan troops from areas they occupy in DRC.
DRC is said to have clearly rejected the EAC's stance in favour of that by SADC.
The joint summit by the two regional blocs is therefore expected to close the gap between their stances on the crisis. And probably it has, because the leaders of the two blocs are said to have agreed on a final statement of the summit, by which they called for the following.
Immediate and unconditional ceasefire in DRC within 5 days. As such, the leaders instructed army bosses from EAC and SADC to meet within the 5 days to deliver technical direction for effecting the ceasefire
Creation of humanitarian corridors in the crisis area, that will allow transport of the deceased and wounded
Whether the calls by EAC and SADC will be respected and adhered to by M23 and Rwanda, only time will tell.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the joint EAC and SADC summit has definitely been a good move in the right direction as regards efforts geared towards ending the DRC crisis once and for all. An end to the crisis is vital to Africa because DRC is believed to be a potential bread basket for the whole continent, as well as having critical minerals for Africa's emerging manufacturing industry. Peace in DRC is therefore important and will be beneficial for all Africans. Creating chaos in DRC by another African country will simply serve the interests of those who have been looting Africa's natural assets, and those who wish Africa to remain the income poorest continent in the world.
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