Malawi Directs Troops to Start Leaving DR Congo Due to Ongoing Conflict

President Chakwera of Malawi has ordered the troops to leave the Democratic Republic of the Congo due to the continued conflict and the deaths of peacekeepers.

The military of Malawi has been ordered by President Lazarus Chakwera to start making plans for leaving the unstable eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

The decision comes after the M23 rebel group stormed into power last week and took control of the strategic city of Goma in North Kivu province, killing at least 20 troops, including three Malawians.

Following a resolution passed by Southern African leaders in Tanzania, calling on all sides to proclaim a truce in order to promote amicable negotiations, Chakwera issued his order. The president of Malawi declared that, in spite of the continuous violence in the area, his decision to remove troops is consistent with this demand for peace.

The withdrawal would “pave the way for their planned negotiations towards a lasting peace,” Chakwera stressed in a televised statement on Wednesday night.

It is believed that the Malawian government’s decision to remove its troops is an act of goodwill and an effort to support regional peacebuilding initiatives. The action was taken “in good faith” and in compliance with the agreement established during the conference of southern African presidents, according to Moses Kunkuyu, Malawi’s minister of information.

But it’s still unclear when exactly the troops will leave. Kunkuyu affirmed that the decision had been shared with the Southern African regional bloc and the DRC government, and that just “operational aspects” were left.

The M23 rebel group announced a unilateral ceasefire on Monday, but combat has since recommenced in some areas of the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Tensions in the area are rising after the rebels apparently took control of the mining town of Nyabibwe in South Kivu province. Hundreds of citizen volunteers have been enlisted by Congolese authorities, who are currently under tremendous strain, to assist in defending Bukavu, the capital.

Calls have been made to reevaluate the regional peacekeeping effort in light of the deaths of the troops, three of whom were Malawians and fourteen of whom were South Africans. The military mission of the Southern African regional bloc (SAMIDRC), which is scheduled to last until December 2025, is the reason why South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has rejected calls for his nation to remove its troops.

The M23 rebels have exacerbated the already severe humanitarian situation in South Kivu by continuing to strive for control of crucial territory since taking Goma. According to the UN, the M23’s bloody assault to seize Goma has claimed almost 3,000 lives, and there are intense concerns that cholera and mpox outbreaks would spread outside the city.

Since armed organizations continue to endanger civilian lives and regional peace, the international community is nonetheless concerned about the region’s persistent instability. While the road to enduring peace is difficult, the attention continues to be on the prospect of a truce and constructive negotiations as the situation develops.