The gathering will be preceded by the ministerial meeting on Friday. Heads of States will join on Saturday. The meeting will be held in Dar es Salaam. Tanzania is currently chairing the Southern African Development Community (SADC) organ on politics, defence and security.

The joint summit between SADC and East Africa Community Chair (EAC) will be held after the SADC leaders met in Zimbabwe last Friday.

SADC leaders called for the Defence Ministers in the region and their top generals to be sent in the Democratic Republic Congo (DRC) to ensure that SAMIDRC troops are safe and facilitate immediate repatriation of the deceased troops and those who are injured.

Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan has agreed to host the summit. Kenyan President Ruto says Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame have agreed to attend.

Ruto has also confirmed that he engaged with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and other leaders to be part of the process.

--Reuters--