Rwanda has agreed to allow troops from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to evacuate through its territory as part of a phased withdrawal from eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), three diplomatic sources confirmed on Friday.
The troops, part of the SADC Mission in the DRC (SAMIDRC), were deployed in December 2023 to support Kinshasa’s fight against armed rebel groups operating in the volatile eastern region. However, in March 2024, the 16-member regional bloc announced the end of the mission’s mandate and signaled a phased withdrawal of forces.
The diplomats, who are closely involved in the negotiations, revealed that Rwanda has consented to the request, allowing SAMIDRC forces to move by land from the rebel-held city of Goma to Tanzania via Rwandan territory. The arrangement includes a key security measure: the troops’ weapons will be sealed during transit through Rwanda and will only be unsealed once they leave its territory.
While no official statement has yet been issued by SADC, the Rwandan government, or the Congolese authorities, General Rudzani Maphwanya, head of the South African National Defence Force, told South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) that a technical team is already in Tanzania finalizing the logistics of the withdrawal.
The SAMIDRC deployment came amid renewed violence in eastern Congo, where M23 rebels have gained control of significant areas, including Goma and another major city since January. The conflict, which has deep historical roots in the aftermath of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, continues to be fueled by complex ethnic dynamics and competition over the region’s vast mineral wealth.
Rwanda’s decision to cooperate with SADC on the exit corridor is seen as a rare moment of logistical collaboration in an otherwise tense regional context, marked by accusations from Kinshasa that Rwanda supports the M23 rebels allegations that Rwanda denies.
The smooth passage of SAMIDRC troops could signal a step toward de-escalation, even as the humanitarian and security crises in eastern DRC remain unresolved.
