The meeting between President Félix Tshisekedi and the secretaries general of the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in New York, on the sidelines of the General Assembly of the United Nations, sparked heated discussions on the deployment of the SADC mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the upcoming elections and regional integration.
The discussions between the three leaders mainly focused on strengthening the SADC mission in the DRC. Indeed, the Congolese government has expressed its dissatisfaction with the record of the EAC troops and requested the support of the SADC in its fight against terrorist groups, notably the M23 supported by Rwanda. Despite a mixed record, the EAC mission was extended until December 2023 during an extraordinary summit of the region’s heads of state.
The two regional organizations, the EAC and the SADC, are actively engaged in resolving the security situation in eastern DRC. They are participating in particular in discussions orchestrated by Angolan President João Lourenço and former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, aimed at finding lasting solutions to the crisis.
A key point of the meeting was the conversion of Kasumbalesa Customs into a one-stop shop. This initiative aims to facilitate the movement of goods and people in the region, thereby strengthening regional integration and boosting cross-border trade.
This meeting between President Tshisekedi and representatives of the EAC and SADC demonstrates the importance given to regional cooperation and the resolution of security challenges in the DRC. It also illustrates the Congolese government’s desire to work with its regional partners to ensure the stability and development of the country.
In conclusion, this meeting marks an important step in efforts to strengthen regional cooperation in Central Africa. It demonstrates President Tshisekedi’s desire to work with neighboring countries to overcome security challenges and promote regional integration. The conversion of Kasumbalesa Customs into a one-stop shop also illustrates the commitment to cross-border trade and facilitation of economic exchange in the region.