Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ambassador Olivier Nduhungirehe, has hailed the beginning of the withdrawal of SADC troops from the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as a major step toward supporting ongoing peace efforts in the region.
Taking to social media platform X on Tuesday, April 29, Minister Nduhungirehe confirmed that troops from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) mission in the DRC, known as SAMIDRC, had begun their return journey home, transiting through Rwanda with their military equipment.
He stated that Rwanda provided both passage and security escort for the departing forces and their gear as they moved from eastern DRC toward Tanzania. “The continued presence of SAMIDRC troops was becoming a factor in prolonging the conflict,” he wrote. “Their departure marks a positive step forward in advancing the political dialogue underway.”
The SAMIDRC mission, comprising troops from South Africa, Tanzania, and Malawi, had been deployed in eastern DRC since December 2023 to support Congolese government forces in their fight against the AFC/M23 rebel alliance. Their operations faced heavy setbacks by January 2025, particularly in the battles for Sake and Goma, both of which fell under M23 control.
The withdrawal follows a special summit of SADC and East African Community (EAC) leaders held in Tanzania on February 8, which reaffirmed the need for political dialogue as the only lasting solution to the crisis in the DRC and the wider Great Lakes region. As a result, SADC heads of state resolved on March 13 to end the SAMIDRC mission and repatriate troops in phases.
Initially, SADC had proposed that the troops depart via Goma International Airport, but this plan was dropped after the AFC/M23 informed them that the facility had been damaged during recent fighting and was no longer operational. Consequently, SADC formally requested Rwanda’s assistance in facilitating the exit by land—an arrangement Rwanda agreed to.
According to Minister Nduhungirehe, the troops are using the Rubavu–Kigali–Rusumo road corridor to reach Tanzania, with their final destination being the Chato area in Tanzania’s northwest.
While the exact number of troops repatriated in this initial phase has not been disclosed—at SADC’s request to maintain confidentiality—eyewitnesses reported seeing at least seven trucks transporting equipment, accompanied by military vehicles and Rwandan officials overseeing the escort.
This move marks a key moment in efforts to de-escalate tensions in eastern Congo and create space for renewed political dialogue among regional actors.
