The Southern African Development Community (SADC) announced on Thursday that a summit of regional heads of state had decided to end the mandate for its troop deployment in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and initiate a “phased withdrawal” of forces.
In a communique released after the summit, the bloc confirmed, “The summit terminated the mandate of SAMIDRC and directed the commencement of a phased withdrawal of SAMIDRC troops from the DRC.”
A document seen by media in February indicated that the status of the SADC mission in Congo required further discussions with parties involved in the ongoing conflict.
The 16-member regional bloc had deployed troops to Congo in December 2023 to support the Congolese military in its battle against various rebel groups. While the mandate was extended late last year, the mission has faced significant challenges in 2025, including military setbacks.
