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The Southern African Development Community (SADC) will hold an Extraordinary Summit in Harare, Zimbabwe, on January 31, 2025, to address the escalating crisis in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The summit, chaired by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, will bring together Heads of State and Government from all SADC countries to debate and make decisions on peace efforts in the region.
According to Prof Amon Murwira, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, the summit aims to restore peace and tranquility in the eastern part of the DRC, which has been plagued by violence and conflict. The region has seen a significant escalation of fighting between the Congolese army and rebel groups, including the March 23 Movement (M23), resulting in mass casualties and displacement .
The SADC leaders will discuss the extent of the problem and make decisions on the way forward. This summit follows a previous one that extended the mission of Summit DRC. President Mnangagwa has condemned the violence and urged SADC to take action, which has led to this extraordinary summit .
The meeting is a crucial step towards addressing the humanitarian crisis in the Eastern DRC, where over 7.3 million people have been displaced, and outbreaks of cholera and measles have become rampant . The SADC region sees instability in the DRC as a significant threat to economic development efforts, making peace a top priority.
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