African regional leaders drawn from East Africa and countries under the Southern African Development Community (SADC) have called for an urgent cessation of hostilities in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
This was passed during the joint EAC-SADC Summit of the Heads of State and Government in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on Saturday, 8th January 2025.
The summit that was co-chaired by the Kenyan President Dr. William Ruto, also the chairperson of the East African Community, and the President of Zimbabwe, Emerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, also the chairperson of SADC, was attended by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, Tanzanian President Dr. Samia Suluhu, and DRC President Felix Antoine Tshesikedi.
Others were Rwandan President Paul Kagame, President of Somalia Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud, Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema, among other leaders.
“We called for cessation of hostilities in Eastern DRC, immediate ceasefire, and restoration of essential utilities and supply lines for food and other essential commodities to ensure humanitarian support and peaceful resolution of conflict,” reads part of the joint communique issued after the summit.
President Museveni welcomed the resolution, saying once successfully honored, it will facilitate an immediate end to the current situation in Eastern DRC, which has continued to cause more refugees to enter Uganda.
“I welcome the resolutions from this platform that had input from all parties. I congratulate Her Excellency Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan and the government and people of the United Republic for hosting us,” Museveni said.
Museveni reiterated that the conflicting parties should actively engage in meaningful negotiations for the well-being of the common people of DRC.
The summit followed the escalation of hostilities in Eastern DRC by the M23 rebels that recently took over Goma town and immediately installed local leadership, hence gaining thorough control of the area.
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) is a regional economic community comprising 16 member states, including Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
The mission of SADC is to promote sustainable and equitable economic growth and socio-economic development through efficient, productive systems, deeper cooperation and integration, good governance, and durable peace and security so that the region emerges as a competitive and effective player in international relations and the world economy.
