They will review the progress made in the peace process in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

This follows a recent decision by SADC leaders to gradually withdraw troops from eastern DRC, where tensions have been high for many years.

The planned troop withdrawal will be carried out in phases, a decision that has been welcomed by the M23 group in the Goma region of DRC, who have expressed their support for the move. This shift in strategy marks a step towards a broader focus on diplomatic solutions and local leadership in the region.

South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Co-operation, Ronald Lamola, stressed that the country would continue to be actively involved in efforts to bring peace to the DRC. "We will continue to engage and stay focused on the situation. This is a follow-up to the meeting we had in Dar es Salaam, where it was agreed that we would meet again within 30 days to assess progress. At that meeting, the chiefs of defence forces from both SADC and EAC were tasked with beginning the peace processes," Lamola explained.

--ChannelAfrica--