The heads of the armed forces from the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) have been given five days to convene and develop a technical roadmap for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo).
This directive was issued during a high-level summit of EAC and SADC Heads of State and Government, held at State House in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, as regional leaders sought urgent solutions to the escalating conflict in eastern DR Congo.
Reports indicate that over 3,000 people have lost their lives, while thousands have been displaced due to the ongoing violence.
The summit, hosted by Tanzanian President Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan, was attended by EAC Chairperson and Kenyan President Dr. William Ruto, SADC Chairperson and Zimbabwean President Dr. Emmerson Mnangagwa, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, Rwandan President Paul Kagame, and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Also present were Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema, Burundi’s Prime Minister Gervas Ndirakobuca, and senior government officials from Malawi, Madagascar, South Sudan, and Angola.
At the summit, leaders stressed the need for immediate action to restore peace and stability in DR Congo.
As part of their resolutions, they tasked military chiefs with developing a clear operational plan within five days to address security and humanitarian concerns in Goma and surrounding areas.
The key priorities include ensuring unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid, formulating a security strategy for Goma and neighboring towns, reopening major supply routes, and immediately resuming operations at Goma Airport to facilitate relief efforts and troop movements.
In addition to military interventions, the summit emphasized the importance of sustaining diplomatic peace efforts through the Luanda and Nairobi processes.
Leaders resolved to integrate the two frameworks into a single, comprehensive "Luanda-Nairobi process," aimed at streamlining mediation efforts and avoiding duplication.
They also called for direct negotiations among all key stakeholders, including government representatives, opposition groups, civil society, and armed factions such as the M23 rebel group, under the Nairobi-Luanda framework.
Another critical resolution was the demand for the immediate removal of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) from DR Congo, a move seen as essential to restoring regional security.
Furthermore, the summit called for the withdrawal of Rwandan military forces from Congolese territory, in line with the agreements made under the Luanda peace process.
Additionally, EAC and SADC military chiefs were instructed to draft a roadmap for the withdrawal of all foreign forces that had not been formally invited to operate within DR Congo’s borders.
To ensure accountability and progress, leaders agreed that a joint EAC-SADC ministerial meeting would be convened within 30 days to review military recommendations and assess the security situation in DR Congo.
Leaders also reaffirmed their commitment to defending DR Congo’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, vowing to provide full support in restoring law and order.
The summit also proposed a permanent collaboration mechanism between EAC and SADC, with annual joint summits to assess security threats and coordinate regional responses.
This move reflects the growing recognition that DR Congo’s crisis requires long-term regional engagement and strategic military-diplomatic coordination.
Before concluding the meeting, leaders expressed their gratitude to President Samia Suluhu Hassan for hosting the summit, acknowledging her efforts in bringing regional leaders together for this crucial discussion.
They also commended Presidents William Ruto and Emmerson Mnangagwa for their leadership in steering EAC and SADC toward a unified approach to conflict resolution.
As military chiefs prepare to implement the summit’s resolutions in the coming days, the agreement marks a significant step toward finding a sustainable solution to the ongoing crisis in eastern DR Congo.
The success of these efforts, however, will depend on the commitment of all parties involved and the effectiveness of regional peace enforcement mechanisms.
