South Africa will deploy 2,900 troops to bolster the Southern African Development Community (SADC) force deployed to tackle armed groups in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
This commitment will cover the period between December 15, 2023, and December 15, 2024, and with a budget of around 2 billion rand ($105.75 million), it underscores South Africa’s dedication to regional stability and security.
The 16-member SADC approved the eastern Congo mission in May last year to assist Congo, the world’s leading supplier of cobalt and Africa’s primary copper producer, in addressing instability and deteriorating security in its turbulent eastern region.
Years of conflicts in eastern Congo between numerous rival armed groups over land and resources have resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people and displaced more than 7 million.
The SADC force has been given an offensive mandate to assist Congo’s army in combating armed groups. It will comprise troops from Malawi, South Africa, and Tanzania.
The deployment comes as Congo grapples with Tutsi-led M23 rebels, whose recent attacks and advances are threatening the North Kivu provincial capital, Goma.