Uhuru-Led Nairobi Peace Process Best Option For DR Congo – SADC Members
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) conference agreed to support the Nairobi peace process, led by retired President Uhuru Kenyatta, for the Democratic Republic of Congo conflict.
In a communiqué issued on Saturday, February 1, 2025, the SADC summit indicated that the Nairobi and Luanda processes, led by Angola’s president, had their support in resolving hostilities in the eastern DRC.
“Summit reiterated its support to the diplomatic efforts to secure a peaceful resolution to the conflict in the Eastern DRC through the Luanda Process, led by His Excellency João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, President of the Republic of Angola and the African Union Champion for Peace and Reconciliation in Africa and the Nairobi Process, led by His Excellency Uhuru Kenyatta, former President of the Republic of Kenya,” the statement read.
Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who leads SADC, Zambia President Hakainde Hichilema, and Mozambique President Francisco Chapo were among the 13 SADC members who attended the summit.
𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗠𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗤𝗨𝗘́ 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗘𝗫𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗢𝗥𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗥𝗬 𝗦𝗨𝗠𝗠𝗜𝗧 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗧𝗘 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗚𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗡𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗢𝗨𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗡 𝗔𝗙𝗥𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗡 𝗗𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗟𝗢𝗣𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗠𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗬
— SADC Secretariat (@SADC_News) February 1, 2025
31st JANUARY 2025 pic.twitter.com/IL0v9eYTr1
Others were Botswana President Duma Boko, DRC President Felix Tshisekedi, Madagascar President Andry Rajoelina, Lesotho Prime Minister Samuel Ntsokoane Matekane, and Eswatini Deputy Prime Minister Thulisile Dladla.
Téte António, Minister of External Relations of Angola, Malawi Minister of Foreign Affairs Nancy Gladys Tembo, and Frans Kapofi, Minister of Defence and Veterans Affairs, were also in attendance.
During the conference in Harare, Zimbabwe, the summit expressed concern about recent attacks by the M23 armed group and Rwanda Defence Forces (RDF) on DRC government forces, the SADC Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC), and civilians in various parts of North Kivu.
“Summit expressed its deepest condolences to the Democratic Republic Congo, the Republics of Malawi and South Africa, and the United Republic of Tanzania for the deceased soldiers who lost their lives during the recent attacks in Sake, Eastern DRC, whilst serving under the SAMIDRC and wished those injured a speedy recovery,” the statement read.
They voiced concern that recent attacks have worsened the DRC’s security and humanitarian situation.
They also urged for the immediate restoration of basic facilities such as water, electricity, communication, and food supply lines.
Similarly, the leaders criticized the M23’s attacks on SAMIDRC troops in eastern DRC.
They stated that such acts breached the truce brokered by the Luanda Process on July 30, 2024, and jeopardized peace and security in the DRC and the SADC region.
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Furthermore, the leaders urged for the prompt dispatch of ministers of defense, chiefs of defense, and troop-contributing countries to DRC to assure the SAMIDRC troops’ safety and allow the immediate repatriation of the deceased troops and those who are injured.
EAC, SADC Joint Summit
They also urged for an early joint summit of SADC and the East African Community (EAC) to discuss the next steps in the DRC’s security situation, as requested by President William Ruto at the 24th Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State of the EAC on January 29, 2025.
The leaders asked political and diplomatic leaders involved in the conflict to engage in a concerted discussion, including support for the Luanda Process, MONUSCO, and others, to restore peace and security in Eastern DRC.
They emphasized their support for the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s efforts to maintain its independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, as well as long-term peace, security, and development.
Uhuru-Led Nairobi Peace Process Best Option For DR Congo – SADC Members
