HARARE – The Southern African Development Community Mission in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC) – led by the South African National Defence Force – will be expected to fend off M23 rebels for another year.

An extraordinary SADC summit in Harare “extended the mandate of the SAMIDRC by one year, continuing the regional response to address the prevailing unstable security situation in eastern DRC”, it said in a communiqué.

SAMIDRC, which includes Tanzanian and Malawian armed forces, arrived in North Kivu in December last year, ahead of general elections in the DRC that handed President Felix Tshisekedi a second term.

SAMIDRC will now stay on until December 2025, subject to review.

The DRC also retained the services of the Burundian military on a bilateral agreement in the same area.

During its time in North Kivu so far, SAMIDRC has failed to register notable victories over the M23 group, which is allegedly backed by Rwanda.

According to numerous reports, the M23 rebels now control more than 60% of the territory in North Kivu, while the conflict has spread to some parts of South Kivu.

In June, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) pledged logistical support for SAMIDRC – a promise that didn’t sit well with Rwanda.

Rwanda claimed that support from the UNSC could plunge at least eight countries into a regional war in the Great Lakes region.

At the summit, the SADC emphasised the importance of a defence pact, because “an armed attack against one shall be deemed a threat to regional peace and security”.

SADC leaders commended the support from the AU and the UN, while encouraging member states to contribute financially to the SAMIDRC.

Numerous African statesmen have reiterated that dialogue will solve the crisis in North Kivu, which has also strained relations between the DRC and Rwanda.

There are two processes in place: the Luanda Peace Initiative led by Angola and the EAC-led Nairobi Process.

SADC leaders were concerned that numerous peace deals signed under the Luanda process had been broken.

“Summit condemned the persistent violations of the ceasefire established on 4 August 2024 and called on all parties to fully adhere to their obligations to preserve peace and security in the region,” the communiqué reads.

There was low attendance of heads of state, with Zimbabwe’s Emmerson Mnangagwa joined by Botswana’s Duma Boko, the DRC’s Tshisekedi, Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi, and Madagascar’s Andry Nirina Rajoelina, out of the 15 regional leaders from the bloc.