EAC-SADC ministers to meet again within 30 days over DRC peace process
During a separate meeting on Friday, ministers had urged all armed groups to lay down their weapons unconditionally.
Leaders from the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) have called for a joint ministerial meeting within 30 days to push for peace in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The resolution came during a Saturday's high-level summit held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
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The meeting, co-chaired by President William Ruto and Zimbabwe's Emmerson Mnangagwa, emphasized the need for continued consultations between the two regional blocs.
"The Joint Summit decided that similar consultations shall be convened at least once every year and as and when the need arises to review matters of common interest to the two regions," reads a communique after the meeting.
The upcoming ministerial meeting will focus on the Chief of Defence Forces (CDFs) report regarding the ceasefire and cessation of hostilities.
During a separate meeting on Friday, ministers had urged all armed groups to lay down their weapons unconditionally. The CDFs were assigned to oversee compliance.
Additionally, the summit directed the establishment of a technical coordination mechanism at the secretariat level to ensure the implementation of key decisions.
The leaders agreed that a "strong" secretariat is necessary for coordination, monitoring, and enforcement.
Heads of State and Government during the joint EAC-SADC Summit at State House, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on February 8, 2025. (Photo: PCS)
"A consolidated single EAC-SADC initiative on this matter to be supported by a strong secretariat that can provide," President Ruto said in his speech.
The ministerial meeting will also outline a roadmap with short-, medium-, and long-term measures, including financing plans.
It will address the remaining issues affecting peace and security in eastern DRC and propose recommendations for the next EAC-SADC summit.
Meanwhile, the summit called for the development of clear guidelines for the withdrawal of uninvited foreign armed forces from DRC territory.
The involvement of foreign forces has remained a key point of contention in the region's peace efforts.
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