In a move aimed at bolstering regional efforts to stabilize the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), South Africa announced on Monday the deployment of 2,900 troops to join the Southern African Development Community (SADC) mission in the restive eastern region.
The year-long deployment, expected to begin on December 15, 2023, and run until December 15, 2024, will see South African forces collaborate with troops from Malawi and Tanzania under the SADC banner. This comes at a crucial time as the DRC faces renewed threats from armed groups, particularly the Tutsi-led M23 rebels whose recent advances have threatened the provincial capital of Goma.
“The deployment is part of South Africa’s commitment to regional peace and security, and we believe it will play a critical role in helping the DRC address the ongoing instability in its eastern provinces,” stated the presidential office in a press release. The estimated cost of the deployment is around 2 billion rand (approximately $105.75 million).
The SADC mission, approved in May 2023, aims to assist the DRC government in combating numerous armed groups that have plagued the eastern region for decades. These conflicts, fueled by competition for land and resources, have resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands and displaced over 7 million people.
The SADC force, armed with an offensive mandate, will collaborate with the Congolese army to neutralize these armed groups and restore stability to the region. With ongoing attacks by the M23 rebels raising concerns about Goma’s safety, the timely deployment of South African troops signifies a vital step towards achieving regional peace and security in the DRC.
