The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has convened an extraordinary virtual summit of its Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, chaired by Malawi’s Second Vice President Enoch Kamzingeni Chihana, representing President Arthur Peter Mutharika.
During the June 22 meeting, regional leaders examined pressing security and political developments, with particular focus on Madagascar and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The organization reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding peace, consolidating democracy, and promoting regional stability and integration.
Deep concern over deteriorating security in eastern DRC
SADC expressed grave concern over the worsening security situation in eastern DRC, noting that instability threatens not only national peace but also regional cooperation efforts. The regional bloc called on all parties involved in the conflict to honor commitments made under the Doha and Washington agreements, particularly those related to ceasefire provisions.
The summit also expressed solidarity with the Congolese people following the resurgence of the Ebola epidemic in eastern regions and highlighted the critical need for African-led peace processes, supported by international efforts, to achieve lasting stability and resilience.
Path to implementation remains uncertain
Despite diplomatic initiatives like the Washington and Doha agreements aimed at establishing a durable ceasefire and restarting dialogue between conflict parties, concrete results on the ground remain elusive. Ongoing hostilities between rebel factions and government forces continue to undermine peace efforts.
Calls from national, regional, and international stakeholders for adherence to peace commitments have so far yielded minimal impact. The persistent gap between diplomatic progress and ground realities persists as parties interpret agreement provisions differently, further complicating implementation.
Recommendations to be presented at next SADC summit
The Troika of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation formulated several recommendations that will be submitted for consideration at the upcoming 46th ordinary SADC summit of heads of state and government. The summit, hosted by South Africa from August 16 to 17, 2026, in Durban (KwaZulu-Natal), marks the beginning of South Africa’s 12-month presidency of the regional economic community.
South Africa currently holds interim SADC presidency following the ousting of former Malagasy President Andry Rajoelina in October 2025 amid a major political crisis in Madagascar.
