Regional leaders from the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) met in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on 8 February for urgent talks aimed at resolving the escalating conflict in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The high-level summit, attended by Heads of State and Representatives, maintained that political and diplomatic engagement remains the most viable solution to the crisis, while urging the unification of the Luanda and Nairobi peace processes.
During an extraordinary summit in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on 8 February, regional leaders from the Eastern and Southern African blocs urged all parties, including the M23 rebels, to engage in direct talks to achieve an immediate ceasefire in the escalating conflict in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo. In late January, M23 rebels seized Goma, the largest city in the east of the DRC, in the worst escalation of hostilities in more than a decade, which left thousands dead. Despite the announcement of a unilateral ceasefire, the rebels continue to advance into the neighbouring province of South Kivu. In a statement on 31 January 2025, however, President Félix Tshisekedi categorically rejected any dialogue with the M23 rebels, accusing Rwanda of fuelling the conflict with its own troops and weapons.
“Today we joined together in order to reiterate our calls to the parties to this tragic conflict to immediately cease hostilities and take positive action to allow meaningful dialogue in that restoration of stability specifically we stand together to call on all parties to actualize the ceasefire, and specifically on the M23 to halt further advancement and the armed forces of DRC to cease all retaliatory measures.”
William Ruto, President of the Republic – Kenya
With some 3,000 people killed and 2,900 injured since 26 January, according to a UN report, the summit expressed deep concern at the recent attacks on diplomatic missions in Kinshasa and urged the DRC government to ensure the safety of foreign personnel and peacekeepers such as MONUSCO. It also mandated the EAC-SADC Chiefs of Defence to meet within five days to develop technical recommendations on enforcing an unconditional ceasefire, securing key areas such as Goma and reopening vital supply routes, including Goma airport.
“This historic summit of our two regional blocs is a testament to our shared commitment, as expressed in the values of the African Union. Such joint initiatives must lead us to take bold and decisive action, to silence the guns or to immediately implement a lasting solution to the escalating conflict and humanitarian crisis in eastern DRC”.
Emmerson Mnangagwa, President of the Republic – Zimbabwe
As violence continues to threaten the stability of the region, the success of the SADC-EAC Summit remains critical. Looking forward, the Summit calls for a joint meeting of SADC and EAC ministers to be convened within 30 days to discuss the report of the Joint Meeting of the CDFs on the ceasefire and cessation of hostilities, establish a technical coordination mechanism at the Secretariat level to monitor the implementation of the Summit’s decisions, address all outstanding issues related to the achievement of sustainable peace in the DRC, and establish a roadmap including long-term implementation measures.
