Following a lightning onslaught, the rebel forces of M23 movement allegedly backed by Rwanda took control of nearly the whole city of Goma, a vital hub for the trade of minerals in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in late January 2025.

SADC, EAC Developing Joint Roadmap for Resolving Conflict in Eastern DRC, Zimbabwean Official Says

13:06, 17 March 2025

Elizaveta Roschina

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Senior officials from the Southern African Development Community and the East African Community are meeting in the Zimbabwean capital, Harare, on Monday to address the crisis in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Sputnik

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the East African Community (EAC) are developing a joint roadmap for resolving the conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Zimbabwe's Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary and chairperson of the SADC Standing Committee of Senior Officials Albert Chimbindi reportedly noted ahead of the joint ministerial meeting on the DRC crisis scheduled for Monday.

"Our meeting will consider the EAC-SADC joint roadmap, which details immediate, medium, and long-term implementation plans for our mechanism. [...] I call upon member states to commit to the financing of this mechanism to ensure that it is operational and delivers its mandate for lasting peace and security in our regions," media quoted Chimbindi as saying.

The EAC-SADC joint efforts should prioritize the UN Security Council resolution 2773 of 2025, which states that "among others, there can be no military solution to the situation in eastern DRC," the official pointed out, emphasizing "the need for inclusive dialogue, given that it is only through dialogue that the underlying issues are resolved."

"The situation in the eastern DRC has persisted for quite some time. Various interventions have taken place. The UN has been present for several years. The EAC Regional Force was deployed for a year. SAMIDRC [SADC mission in the DRC] has been operational for the past year. We have all learned lessons from our successes and challenges," co-chair of the meeting and Kenyan chief of operations at the Defense Headquarters Brigadier General Edward Rugendo reportedly said.

The Kenyan official also emphasized the need for cooperation and "a firm resolve to advance sustainable solutions" while addressing the escalating situation in the DRC.

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