Southern African leaders have made the decision to withdraw their troops from eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, where they have been assisting the government in combating rebel forces. This move comes after two years of deployment to support the Congolese army in fighting the Rwandan-backed M23 rebels, who have taken control of significant portions of the mineral-rich eastern DR Congo this year.
The conflict in eastern DR Congo has resulted in the loss of at least 19 soldiers from South Africa, Malawi, and Tanzania when the M23 captured Goma, the region’s largest city, in January. The violence has led to the deaths of thousands of people and forced hundreds of thousands to flee their homes, leaving them without shelter.
There have been concerns that the fighting could escalate into a broader regional conflict as the M23 continues to gain ground in eastern DR Congo, recently seizing Bukavu, the region’s second-largest city. South Africa’s deployment has faced criticism from the public and opposition, particularly following the killing of its soldiers during the conflict.
South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the withdrawal, citing the precarious situation but acknowledging that the current peace is holding. However, despite the withdrawal, the M23 has continued to advance and capture more territory in recent weeks. This development has been described as embarrassing for South Africa by political analyst Sandile Swanda, who highlighted the rebel group’s strength in the ongoing conflict.
The withdrawal of Southern African troops is not only a setback for South Africa but also a blow to both the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) and the DR Congo, according to analysts. Stephanie Wolters, a senior research fellow at the South African Institute of International Affairs, noted that Sadc’s withdrawal weakens Kinshasa’s position, shifting the bloc from supporting the Congolese government to a more neutral stance.
In February, Malawi’s president announced the withdrawal of its troops from DR Congo without providing a reason. The decision to begin a “phased withdrawal” was made during a virtual summit of the 16-member Sadc in Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare. While no specific reason was given for the withdrawal, Sadc leaders emphasized their continued support for interventions aimed at achieving lasting peace in the region and called for a diplomatic and political resolution to the conflict.
Efforts to bring peace to DR Congo have faced challenges in the past, but Angola has recently announced that it will host peace talks between DR Congo and the M23 in the coming week in Luanda. The M23 has expressed their approval of this initiative, while DR Congo’s President Félix Tshisekedi has previously insisted on only engaging in direct negotiations with Rwanda, not the rebel group.
This latest development marks Sadc’s third emergency summit on DR Congo in recent months. While the exact number of Sadc troops in DR Congo remains unclear, plans were in place to deploy 5,000 troops, with South Africa leading the mission and deploying 2,900 troops, while the remainder were to be shared between Malawi and Tanzania. The situation in eastern DR Congo remains fluid, with ongoing efforts to find a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
