Madagascar has pledged to issue medical support for the wounded and displaced, soldiers and civilians who are victims of the ongoing clashes in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The President of Madagascar, Andry Rajoelina stated during the recent SADC Heads of State Summit on DRC conflict, that his country was reinforcing the region’s commitment to humanitarian relief efforts.
The Extraordinary Summit of the Southern African Development Community (SADC)’s Heads of State convened in Harare, Zimbabwe, in response to the worsening security situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Chaired by Dr Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, President of Zimbabwe and SADC Chairperson, the high-level meeting reaffirmed the region’s commitment to peace, stability and territorial integrity in the DR Congo.
The summit brought together key regional leaders, including the DR Congo leader, Félix Antoine Tshisekedi; South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa, Tanzanian Head of State Samia Suluhu Hassan, the Madagascar President, Andry Rajoelina and the Mozambique leader, Daniel Francisco Chapo.
There were also senior representatives from Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, Angola, Malawi, Namibia, and Zambia.
The meeting underscored SADC’s unified stance on the crisis and its determination to seek a lasting resolution to the conflict.
Amid reports of intensified violence in eastern DRC, the summit strongly condemned the M23 rebel group and Rwanda Defence Forces for their repeated attacks on DRC Government Forces; SADC peacekeepers deployed under the SAMIDRC mission and Civilians in North Kivu.
The leaders expressed their deepest condolences to the governments and families of Malawi, South Africa and Tanzania, whose soldiers perished while serving in the SADC Mission in the DR Congo, calling for urgent humanitarian intervention, emphasizing the need to restore essential services such as water, electricity and food supply chains.
The summit called for an immediate ceasefire and emphasized the need for enhanced diplomatic engagements through the Luanda and Nairobi Processes.
Leaders proposed a joint SADC–East African Community summit to coordinate a unified regional response to the crisis and mandated the deployment of defence ministers and military chiefs from troop-contributing countries to the DRC to ensure the safety of regional peace forces and facilitate the repatriation of fallen soldiers.
The summit recognized key regional figures for their leadership in addressing security and diplomatic challenges such as Dr Emmerson Mnangagwa for hosting the summit and driving efforts to strengthen regional cooperation and Samia Suluhu Hassan, the Chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, was praised for her leadership in peace and security initiatives.
DR Congo President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo expressed gratitude for SADC’s unwavering support in defending his country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
With diplomatic and security measures set in motion, regional leaders emphasized the urgent need for international collaboration to resolve the crisis, insisting that SADC will remain actively engaged in peacekeeping efforts, ensuring that the region moves toward a more stable and secure future.