SADC has issued a statement on the military operations in the DRC.
𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗔𝗗𝗖 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗰𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗼 (𝗦𝗔𝗠𝗜𝗗𝗥𝗖).
His Excellency, Mr. Elias M. Magosi, the Executive Secretary (ES) of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) is currently on official visit to the SADC Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC) to appreciate and oversee the progress of the operations. The Mission was deployed on 15 December 2023 to support the Government of the DRC to restore peace and security in the Eastern DRC. This is in response to the Mandate given by the Extraordinary SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government held in Windhoek, Republic of Namibia on 08 May 2023 which approved the deployment of the SAMIDRC as a regional response to address the unstable and deteriorating security situation prevailing in the Eastern DRC.
The deployment of the SAMIDRC is under the principle of collective self-defense and collective action outlined in the SADC Mutual Defence Pact (2003). The Pact emphasises that; “Any armed attack perpetrated against one of the States Parties shall be considered a threat to regional peace and security and shall be met with immediate collective action”. SAMIDRC is a SADC regional force from the Republics of Malawi, South Africa and the United Republic of Tanzania.
The Mission has an offensive Mandate to support the Government of DRC to neutralise negative forces and illegal armed groups in the Eastern DRC to restore and maintain peace and security to create a secure environment as well as protect civilians and their properties under imminent threats or attacks. It can operate unilaterally and/or together with Congolese Army (FARDC).
The Executive Secretary together with the Major General Monwabisi Dyakopu, Force Commander of SAMIDRC visited troops in the field. The troops are properly equipped and are ready to execute the Mandate of SAMIDRC.
As SADC, we are determined to restore peace and security in the Eastern DRC and add to the record of our Defence, Institutional, Socio-Economic, and Peace and Security achievements and milestones.
The ES will proceed to Mozambique to visit the SADC Mission in the Republic of Mozambique (SAMIM).
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