Lilongwe – Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera has ordered the Malawi Defence Force (MDF) to begin preparations for the withdrawal of its troops from the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) following the deaths of three Malawian soldiers in combat.
Malawi’s troops are part of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Mission in the DRC (SAMIDRC), a regional military effort aimed at assisting the Congolese government in combating armed insurgents, including the notorious March 23 Movement (M23) rebels.
The mission, initially approved by SADC in late 2023, was set to deploy approximately 5,000 troops from South Africa, Malawi, and Tanzania, with South Africa providing the largest contingent of 2,900 soldiers.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, 5 February, the Malawian government confirmed its intention to withdraw, citing a regional agreement to pursue diplomatic negotiations.
Malawi’s Information Minister, Moses Kunkuyu, explained that last week’s SADC leaders’ meeting in Tanzania, heldalongside the Africa Energy Summit, resulted in a resolution urging all warring parties to observe a ceasefire and allow for peaceful negotiations.
“It is pursuant to that agreement that the president of Malawi has seen it fit to contribute to the peace-building effort by withdrawing troops from the region so that there is that peaceful negotiation,” Kunkuyu told BBC Newsday.
While the minister did not specify a withdrawal timeline, he noted that only operational details remained before fulldisengagement.
Malawian authorities have formally communicated the decision to both Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi and the SADC leadership.
While Malawi has opted to pull out, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has reaffirmed his country’s commitment to the mission. South Africa has faced domestic pressure to withdraw, particularly after losing soldiers in recent clashes with M23 rebels.
However, Ramaphosa insists that the SAMIDRC deployment has a structured operational timeframe and that pulling out prematurely could jeopardize regional stability.
The instability in eastern DRC is largely attributed to the activities of the M23 rebel group, which Kinshasa accuses of being backed by Rwanda.
Despite multiple denials, President Paul Kagame’s government has been widely implicated in funding, training, and arming M23 fighters as part of its broader geopolitical strategy in the region.
Rwanda’s direct involvement in the conflict has not only strained relations with the DRC but has also led to escalating tensions with South Africa and SADC.
In a shocking escalation, Kagame recently threatened to declare war on South Africa, accusing Pretoria of backing Kinshasa and deploying troops in the DRC to counter Rwandan influence.
This unprecedented diplomatic rift has raised concerns over a potential military confrontation between Rwanda and SADC forces, a scenario that could destabilize the entire southern African region.
The growing friction between Kagame and SADC leaders risks disrupting regional peace efforts.
Some analysts argue that Rwanda’s aggression towards South Africa, coupled with its continued interference in the DRC, could undermine SADC’s authority and weaken the bloc’s ability to mediate conflicts effectively.