Harare, (New Ziana) – The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has started the phased withdrawal of its peacekeeping forces from eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) following the directive of the Extraordinary Summit of SADC Heads of State and Government of the regional bloc held on 13 March 2025.

At that summit, leaders agreed to terminate the mandate of the SADC Mission in the DRC (SAMIDRC) and approved a structured exit strategy for the multinational force.

The process began on 29 April 2025, with troops departing by road through the Republic of Rwanda en-route to their home countries, marking a significant transition in the military engagement in the volatile region.

Deployed on 15 December 2023, SAMIDRC brought together troops from Malawi, South Africa, and the United Republic of Tanzania. The mission aimed to stabilize the eastern provinces of the DRC, where armed groups—including the Alliance Fleuve Congo/Movement of 23 March (AFC/M23), have long fueled insecurity, displacement, and humanitarian crises.

“The withdrawal plan was further reinforced during a high-level engagement on 28 March 2025 in Goma, where Chiefs of Defence Forces from the Troop Contributing Countries (TCCs) met with the leadership of AFC/M23.

“The meeting sought to ensure that the drawdown of forces would proceed without jeopardizing fragile gains in security,” SADC said in a statement.

Despite the end of the SAMIDRC mandate, SADC emphasized that its commitment to regional peace and security remains unwavering.

The regional bloc said it would continue supporting diplomatic and political processes aimed at achieving a sustainable resolution to the conflict in eastern DRC.

“SADC remains fully engaged in promoting peace, security, and stability across the region,” the organization said. “We will persist in our efforts to facilitate dialogue and cooperation among all stakeholders to ensure a lasting peace for the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo,” it said.

The drawdown of SAMIDRC signals a shift in strategy from military intervention to political and diplomatic engagement, as SADC and the international community work towards ending one of Africa’s most protracted conflicts.

New Ziana