The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Heads of State and Government have concluded an extraordinary summit with a resolution to withdraw peacekeeping mission troops from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Rwanda agreed in April to facilitate safe passage for withdrawing SADC forces.
The peacekeeping mission, which will include several thousand troops from South Africa, Malawi, and Tanzania in 2023, was designed to assist the Congolese government in stabilizing a mineral-rich region beset by armed insurgencies.
However, the mission has experienced considerable losses in recent months.
Approximately 17 soldiers were killed, including 14 South Africans and at least three Malawians, during fierce battle with M23 insurgents who have taken control of Goma and, more recently, Bukavu.
According to UN experts, the M23 group is supposedly backed by around 4,000 Rwandan troops and has stated its aim to advance on the Congolese capital, Kinshasa, which is more than 1,600 kilometres distant.
Rwanda has denied assisting the rebels, despite repeated claims from the Congolese government and the United Nations.
President Félix Tshisekedi has called for a large-scale military deployment in response to the M23 attack, which has exacerbated one of the world’s most severe humanitarian disasters, displacing nearly 7 million people.
The United Nations has since evacuated seriously injured South African soldiers from the fighting zone.
