Military leaders claim that SADC forces’ mission in DR Congo is untenable

The defense chiefs of the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) concur that the SADC mission in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (SAMIDRC) has an unworkable and problematic mandate.

At their February 21 meeting in Nairobi, Kenya, the defense chiefs and representatives of 13 nations from the two regional economic communities decided that successful political engagement by all sides is a prerequisite for any short-, medium-, and long-term measures to end the violence in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

They also agreed that the political engagement should focus on the underlying causes of the conflict, which pits the Congolese government coalition against the AFC/M23 rebels. This coalition includes SADC forces, Burundian troops, and militias like the FDLR, a terrorist militia based in the Democratic Republic of the Congo that was founded by the masterminds of the 1994 Rwandan Genocide against the Tutsi, and Wazalendo, a loose coalition of local militia groups.

Since the AFC/M23 rebels marched on the important city of Goma in January and took it on January 27, the SADC mission, which includes troops from South Africa, Malawi, and Tanzania, has been under increasing pressure to leave the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The operation commanded by South Africa was also criticized for collaborating with UN-approved militias, including the FDLR, which is connected to the 1994 Rwandan Genocide against the Tutsi.

An eight-page report from a combined EAC and SADC defense technical specialists meeting on the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo includes the conclusion on the SADC mission’s status that was reached at the Nairobi meeting.

The meeting’s recommendations include direct contact and interaction, as well as the creation of a technical assessment team consisting of 16 members to analyze security, the humanitarian situation, and vital infrastructure, such as airports.

In December 2023, SAMIDRC was sent in to support the Congolese army in their fight against the rebels. In 2021, the FDLR, more than 10,000 Burundian soldiers, 1,600 European mercenaries, and South Africa-led SADC forces joined the Congolese government army alliance to fight the M23 insurgents. M23 is currently a member of the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC), a broader rebel group that was established in December 2023.

The AFC is pushing for governance that protects all Congolese citizens, upholds fundamental human rights, and tackles the underlying causes of conflict. Among other evils that are pervasive in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, its leaders have pledged to eradicate corruption, nepotism, tribalism, and the ideology of genocide.

However, the SADC mission failed as the M23 took control of Goma, the city of North Kivu Province, and promptly proceeded to secure, stabilize, and restore order there. On February 15, the M23 also took control of Bukavu, the seat of South Kivu Province. People were pleading with the rebels to advance swiftly and take control of the entire city before it occurred.

Following Rwanda’s offer of passage over the Rubavu border, approximately 129 injured South African soldiers—including two pregnant soldiers—were sent home on February 25. On February 24, the soldiers, together with other SADC troops, took off from Kigali International Airport.

After passing through Rwanda on February 7, the bodies of 14 of its troops who were slain while fighting alongside the Congolese army coalition in Goma and Sake were returned home.

Some South African lawmakers have taken issue with the humiliating scenario where South African soldiers who have surrendered remain imprisoned in their bases in Goma and Sake, which are under M23 control.

They need permission from M23 in order to use the restroom. According to reports, opposition leader Julius Malema stated at a church feast in Johannesburg, “They have to ask M23 for water.”

The SADC mission has failed, according to defense and security experts, who are urging South Africa to engage in negotiations and remove its troops from eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

On February 5, Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera gave the order for his troops to leave the war-torn Democratic Republic of the Congo.