Harare, (New Ziana) -The virtual Extra Ordinary Summit of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Organ Troika held on Thursday reaffirmed the dedication of the regional body to foster lasting peace and stability in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in line with its Mutual Defence Pact of 2023.

In a statement, the SADC secretariat said the summit also paid tribute to the soldiers from the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa, Malawi and Tanzania who died recently while serving under the SADC Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC), and wished a swift recovery to those injured in the line of duty.

The meeting brought together Heads of State and Government of Tanzania, Malawi and Zambia namely Dr Samia Siluhu Hassan who is the current Organ Troika chair, Dr Lazarus Chakwera the incoming Organ chairman and the outgoing Organ chairman Hakainnde Hichilema respectively.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, whose country is contributing troops to the SAMIDRIC and Felix Tshisekedi of the DRC also participated in the virtual meeting, which President Siluhu Hassan chaired.

“During the session, leaders reviewed the latest developments regarding the security crisis in eastern DRC and discussed the findings of the Defence Sub-Committee’s report on the SAMIDRC mandate. The outcomes and recommendations from this meeting are set to be presented at an upcoming Extraordinary Summit of SADC Heads of State and Government, the date of which will be announced later,” said the SADC secretariat.

In her remarks, President Suluhu Hassan emphasised SADC’s unwavering commitment to supporting the DRC during this challenging period. She also reaffirmed the region’s solidarity with the Congolese people, highlighting the importance of unity and collaborative efforts in addressing the crisis.

The SADC leaders praised President Suluhu Hassan for her prompt action in convening the Extraordinary Troika summit, following the Defence Sub-Committee’s meeting, as agreed during the previous Extraordinary SADC Summit held in January in Zimbabwe.

New Ziana