Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Peya Mushelenga, has confirmed that while Namibia has not deployed troops to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) conflict, the country has met its financial commitments to help address the crisis.
Eastern DRC has been embroiled in conflict following significant territorial gains by the M23 rebels. Gunfire erupted across parts of Goma, a city with over two million residents, over the weekend, and reports suggest clashes between DRC and Rwandan troops along their shared border on Monday.
Namibia’s assessed contribution towards SAMIDRC is N.dollars 89,777,917 ($4,807,285) as per the assessment approved during the November 2023 Extraordinary SADC summit in Luanda.
“Despite our support through SADC for a military intervention, Namibia firmly believes that only a diplomatic solution can fully address the current situation,” the minister said.
Mushelenga indicated that as a member of the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council, Namibia actively participates in decision-making on continental conflicts, including the DRC crisis.
He noted that Namibia is scheduled to participate in the deliberation contributing to the efforts aimed at finding peace in eastern DRC on Wednesday. The minister emphasized Namibia’s commitment to international cooperation, peace, and security, citing past involvement in UN peacekeeping missions in Cambodia, Liberia, Sudan, and South Sudan.
He added that in Mozambique, Namibia equally fulfilled its financial obligation and had also sent 18 staff officers to the SADC Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM) deployed in July 2021, noting that the mission had ended and all the staff officers returned.
“Namibia also contributes annually to the UN peacekeeping budget,” he noted.