The Southern African Development Community (SADC) will hold an Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government on Thursday, January 30, in Harare to address the security situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The summit will be chaired by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, the current SADC chairperson. The SADC Secretariat said:

The Summit follows the outcome of the Extraordinary Summit of the SADC Organ Troika plus the DRC and Troop Contributing Countries (TCCs) to the SADC Mission in the DRC (SAMIDRC), which was held on 28th January 2025 and was chaired by Her Excellency Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan, the President of the United Republic of Tanzania and Chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics Defence and Security Cooperation.

The Extraordinary Summit will be preceded by the meetings of SADC Standing Committee of Senior Officials and the SADC Council of Ministers.

The security situation in eastern DRC is rapidly deteriorating, particularly following the recent capture of the key city of Goma by the M23 rebel group, which has escalated violence in the region.

The conflict has resulted in significant casualties, including three Malawian soldiers and thirteen South African soldiers who were killed during a peacekeeping mission after an encounter with the M23 rebels.

In addition to the loss of life, the fighting has forced over 400,000 people to flee their homes since the beginning of 2025.

The international community, including the United Nations Security Council, has urged an immediate end to hostilities and the withdrawal of external forces, such as the Rwandan troops, who are accused of supporting the M23 rebels.