Focus on security situation in eastern DRC at Sadc meeting in Namibia

09 May 2023 - 13:36
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President Cyril Ramaphosa at the Sadc summit in Namibia on Monday.
President Cyril Ramaphosa at the Sadc summit in Namibia on Monday.
Image: GCIS.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has condemned the deteriorating security situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

“South Africa has noted with concern the report on the deteriorating security situation in the eastern DRC. We condemn the activities of the illegal armed groups and call upon the groups and their sponsors to cease their activities immediately.

“The war has persisted for far too long and it is our firm belief that the people of the DRC deserve peace and development,” said Ramaphosa.

The president, along with other bloc leaders, attended the Sadc extraordinary organ troika summit plus Sadc troika and force intervention brigade troop contributing countries in Namibia on Monday.

In his capacity as outgoing chair of the Sadc organ on politics, defence and security co-operation, Ramaphosa called for a co-ordinated approach to restore peace and security in the region.

Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said the summit received an update on the security situation in the eastern DRC and considered a report of the Sadc field assessment mission on the deployment of the UN stabilisation mission in the country (Monusco).

Magwenya said the summit discussed a Sadc common position to guide the region’s engagement at the tripartite summit on the co-ordination of interventions and deployments in the eastern DRC.

The insecurity in the region has come under sharp focus by the Sadc, the AU and other regional mechanisms, said Magwenya.

The outcomes of the summit are expected to contribute to continental efforts aimed at finding a co-ordinated and lasting solution to the crisis.

“South Africa is among the troop-contributing countries to the FIB (force intervention brigade) deployed under Monusco,” said Magwenya.

“South Africa stands ready to contribute to the development of effective regional instruments that could assist to stabilise the security situation in the eastern DRC. We support the need for long-term planning to be ingrained in the Sadc peace and security architecture,” said Ramaphosa.

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