Malawi orders troops to prepare for withdrawal from eastern DRC

Troops under SAMIDRC in the eastern DRC. (Photo: SADC)

By Mary Wambui
Wednesday, February 5, 2025

The troops are part of a contingent of soldiers from the Southern African regional bloc (SAMIDRC) deployed in eastern DR Congo to neutralise armed groups following the exit of the East African Community Regional Force (EACRF) in December 2023.

Malawi's President, Lazarus Chakwera, has ordered his defence forces to begin preparations for the withdrawal of their troops from the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

The troops are part of a contingent of soldiers from the Southern African regional bloc (SAMIDRC) deployed in eastern DR Congo to neutralise armed groups following the departure of the East African Community Regional Force (EACRF) in December 2023.

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"President Chakwera has ordered the MDF (Malawi Defence Force) commander to begin preparations for the withdrawal of Malawian troops... to honour the declaration of a ceasefire by the warring parties there and to pave the way for their planned negotiations towards a lasting peace," the government said.

At least 20 peacekeepers, including 14 South Africans, three Malawians and two Tanzanians, were killed last week as the M23 rebel group captured the strategic city of Goma, the capital of North Kivu province in DRC. The tragic deaths have sparked a flurry of diplomatic activity, as both South Africa and Malawi move towards a troop withdrawal to encourage peace negotiations.

In a statement broadcast on state television on Wednesday evening, the President of Malawi announced the withdrawal of Malawian troops from the region. “The withdrawal of our forces will pave the way for their planned negotiations towards a lasting peace,” he said, emphasising the country's commitment to peace-building efforts.

Malawi's Information Minister, Moses Kunkuyu, elaborated on the move during an interview with the BBC. “This decision is being made in good faith,” Kunkuyu told Newsday. He explained that a meeting among southern African leaders in Tanzania last week, on the sidelines of the Africa Energy Summit, had resulted in a resolution calling for a ceasefire from all parties. “This will pave the way for peaceful negotiations,” Kunkuyu added. He confirmed that the Malawian president had communicated the decision to the Congolese president and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) bloc.

Though Kunkuyu did not provide a specific timeline, he assured that "the operational aspects" of the withdrawal were being finalized. The planned exit follows increased pressure on Malawi to pull its forces from DR Congo in light of the peacekeeper fatalities.

Meanwhile, South Africa faces similar pressure. However, President Cyril Ramaphosa has made it clear that his country will maintain its troop presence in DR Congo. “Our troops remain part of the SAMIDRC mission, which has operational timeframes and an end date,” he stated.

The SAMIDRC mission, which was authorised by the Southern African Development Community (SADC), involves a contingent of 5,000 troops, with South Africa contributing 2,900, while Malawi and Tanzania share the rest. Initially deployed in 2023, the mission received an extension until December of this year.