The Southern African Development Community (SADC), led by Enoch Kamzingeni Chihana, Malawi’s Second Vice President representing President Arthur Peter Mutharika, convened an extraordinary virtual summit of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation on Monday, June 22. The meeting focused on assessing the security and political situation in the region, with particular attention to Madagascar and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

The regional bloc reaffirmed its commitment to “safeguarding peace, consolidating democracy, and promoting stability as well as regional integration.” SADC leaders emphasized the need to strengthen African mechanisms for crisis prevention and resolution to preserve collective security.

Deep concern over DRC’s eastern instability

The SADC noted a worsening security situation in eastern DRC, warning that “instability threatens not only national peace but also regional integration and cooperation efforts.” Summit participants called on all parties involved in the conflict to honor commitments made under the Doha and Washington agreements, particularly ceasefire provisions.

“Regarding the Democratic Republic of the Congo,” the SADC communiqué states, “the Summit expressed deep concern over the resurgence of the Ebola outbreak in the eastern part of the country and reaffirmed its solidarity with the Congolese people. It also noted the deterioration of the security situation in the region, emphasizing that instability threatens national peace and regional integration.”

The communiqué continued: “The Summit urged all parties to respect the Doha and Washington agreements, particularly ceasefire provisions, and stressed that African-led peace processes, supported by international efforts, remain essential for achieving lasting stability, resilience, and sustainable peace.”

Key recommendations ahead of the SADC summit

To strengthen its involvement in finding solutions, the Troika of the Organ formulated several recommendations that will be submitted for consideration at the upcoming SADC Heads of State and Government Summit. This will be the 46th Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), to be hosted by South Africa in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal Province, from August 16 to 17, 2026.

This summit will mark the beginning of South Africa’s 12-month presidency of the regional economic community, at a time when South Africa currently holds interim SADC presidency following the ousting of former Malagasy President Andry Rajoelina on October 14, 2025, amid a major political crisis in Madagascar.

This SADC meeting occurs against a backdrop of ongoing diplomatic efforts, including the Washington agreements and the Doha process, aimed at establishing a durable ceasefire and reviving dialogue between conflict stakeholders in eastern DRC that have been ongoing for several years. However, these initiatives have yet to yield concrete results on the ground, where hostilities continue between rebel groups and government forces.

In response to this situation, voices continue to urge stakeholders at national, regional, and international levels to respect commitments made under peace initiatives. Yet these calls have so far had little effect. The gap between diplomatic progress on paper and ground realities persists, as each party continues to interpret agreement provisions according to its own reading, making implementation increasingly uncertain.