As critically injured South African troops are being evacuated from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) after being trapped in their bases at Goma and Sake by M23 rebels, representatives of 13 African defence forces have released a damning report about the Southern African Development Community (SADC) peace keeping force in the DRC. 

In a report after a meeting in Nairobi, the representatives described the SADC mission in the DRC as being “in dilemma and untenable.”

The countries involved in the assessment include Burundi, the DRC, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania, Angola, Malawi, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. 

According to report from the joint East African Community (EAC)/SADC defence technical experts meeting, any short, medium, or long-term steps to resolve the situation in the DRC are dependent on successful political engagement. Topping the list of recommendations is a call for direct communication and engagement, followed by the establishment of a 16-strong technical assessment team to evaluate the security, humanitarian situation, and critical infrastructure status, including airports. 

The representatives noted that “there is no clear picture of the situation on the ground” and “provision of humanitarian assistance remains constrained.”

Critically injured South African troops start arriving in South Africa

The damning assessment by the defence chief representatives comes as injured South African troops who have been trapped in their base at Goma in the eastern DRC by the M23 rebels have arrived back home in South Africa. The number of injured is estimated at 189, and South African weekend newspaper Rapport reported that there were two pregnant soldiers among the injured.

Last week, the bodies of 14 South African soldiers who died in the battles between the rebels and South African soldiers, who are part of the SADC peacekeeping mission in the DRC, were also flown back and returned to their relatives.

In a statement by the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), the head of Communication for the Department of Defence, Siphiwe Dlamini, said that the “remainder of injured soldiers are scheduled to arrive in South Africa during the course of the week.” The SANDF said that “role players” have been involved in negotiations to repatriate the injured, and it is believed to be the United Nations.

Call on Ramaphosa to “swallow his pride” and start negotiating with Rwanda, M23

While negotiations have resulted in the release of the bodies of the 14 South African soldiers killed in the DRC and the injured, there is still no resolution to the other soldiers who have laid down their weapons and are, according to defence analyst Kobus Marais, “effectively prisoners of war” of the M23 rebels.

At the memorial service for the fallen soldiers at Swartkops Air Force, President Cyril Ramaphosa reaffirmed South Africa’s commitment to keeping troops in the DRC. “South Africa remains firmly committed to supporting all processes to bring this terrible conflict to an end,” he said. 

“We are encouraged by the outcomes of last week’s joint summit of the East African Community and Southern African Development Community, which resolved to prioritise a political solution to the crisis in the eastern DRC.”

Ramaphosa reiterated South Africa’s call for an immediate ceasefire, a cessation of hostilities, and a resumption of inclusive negotiations by all the warring parties. However, this commitment comes amid increasing calls from within South Africa to abandon the mission due to the defence force being underfunded and overstretched.

Marais said that the next priority for the South African government should be the captive soldiers in the base at Goma. He said Ramaphosa’s government should “swallow their pride and start negotiations with Rwanda and the M23 rebels for their release.” Marais added that “it must be humiliating for our soldiers, and their well-being should be the government’s priority.”

The conflict in the DRC “is not our war,” Marais concluded, and a solution should be found by the SADC and the East African Community (EAC) countries in the region. He said South Africa has “lost the initiative in the DRC” and must be mature enough to know when it is in the country’s best interest to withdraw.

Global Pressure is growing on Rwanda

Meanwhile, pressure is growing on Rwanda to stop its backing of the M23 rebels. Rwandan President Paul Kagame has repeatedly denied backing the group. The UK government has indicated that it will introduce sanctions against Rwanda. A minister in the UK Foreign office told Reuters that the UK’s position on Rwanda has been made clear and “it will act soon.” 

A Security Council resolution submitted by France on 21 February was passed, urging Rwanda’s Defence Forces to stop supporting the armed group and immediately withdraw from Congolese territory “without preconditions.” The Council also demanded that the M23 immediately cease hostilities and withdraw from all the areas it controls. 

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has warned that the US would be considering sanctions against Rwanda. Rubio had several conversations with African leaders in Eastern Africa about the conflict in the DRC. In a conversation with President Kagame at the end of January, he said the US was “deeply troubled by the escalation of the ongoing conflict in the eastern DRC, particularly the fall of Goma.”

To DRC President Félix Tshisekede, he affirmed the US’ respect for the sovereignty of the DRC, and he told Kenyan President Ruto during a call on 21 February that the capture of Goma and Bukavu by the Rwandan-backed M23 armed group “was unacceptable.” 

Potential for regional conflict in the DRC

The eastern DRC is rich in valuable minerals including gold, diamonds, and coltan, which are essential for the production of electronic devices. This resource wealth has been a source of conflict for more than 30 years, dating back to the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Numerous armed groups have competed for power and control of the potential fortune in this vast nation

The ongoing war in the region has meant that the United Nations has maintained a peacekeeping mission in the DRC for more than two decades, making it one of the longest-running and most expensive UN peacekeeping operations. This conflict has led to a massive displacement of civilians, with millions forced to flee their homes.

There are fears that the conflict could result in an all-out regional war that could suck in neighbouring countries like Burundi, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi and South Africa.

Instability in east Africa could have consequences for Western powers according to Dr. Jakkie Cilliers from the Institute for Security Studies in Pretoria. There is the issue of the migrants fleeing from conflicts, trying to go to Europe and instability in Africa, provides a ready vehicle for Russia to pursue its interests, as seen in the Sahel region.