The president’s office said in a statement on Monday that South Africa would contribute 2,900 troops to the Southern African Development Community (SADC) force that is fighting armed groups in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
According to the announcement, the deployment will take place for a year, starting on December 15, 2023, and ending on December 15, 2024. It will cost around 2 billion rand ($105.75 million).
In order to assist Congo, the leading producer of copper in Africa and a major supplier of cobalt to the globe, in addressing instability and failing security in its restive eastern area, the 16-member state SADC approved the eastern Congo mission in May of last year.
Several opposing armed groups have been fighting for territory and resources in eastern Congo for decades; these conflicts have resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths and more than 7 million displaced people.
The SADC force’s offensive mission is to assist the Congolese army in its conflict with armed groups. Tanzanian, South African, and Malawian soldiers will be among them.
The deployment occurs while Congo fights Tutsi-led M23 rebels, whose advances and strikes in recent days have put the province capital of North Kivu, Goma, under danger.
(Reuters)
