Malawi’s President Lazarus Chakwera has instructed the defence forces to commence preparations for the withdrawal of Malawian troops from eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The Malawian soldiers, part of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) mission, were deployed to help combat armed insurgents. The mission was extended late last year.
President Chakwera’s directive comes in response to a ceasefire declared by the warring parties in the region, aiming to facilitate planned peace negotiations. The Malawi Defence Force (MDF) has been tasked with ensuring an orderly withdrawal to honour the ceasefire.
The ceasefire declaration was made by a rebel coalition that includes M23 fighters, citing humanitarian reasons. However, despite the ceasefire, M23 rebels have continued their advance, capturing the town of Nyabibwe in South Kivu province, located 70 kilometers north of Bukavu. The town fell after early morning clashes on Wednesday.
DRC’s Communications Minister, Patrick Muyaya, stated that the rebels had breached the ceasefire agreement and were encountering resistance from the DRC armed forces around Nyabibwe. The capture of Nyabibwe signals a potential renewed push towards Bukavu following the earlier takeover of Goma. The fall of Goma has displaced hundreds of thousands of people and raised fears of an expanded regional conflict.
The DRC government accuses Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebels to exploit valuable mineral resources such as gold, coltan, and tin. Rwanda, however, claims its actions are in self-defense and to protect ethnic Tutsis.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) reported that its medical warehouse in Goma was looted between January 28 and 29, causing significant setbacks that will take months and substantial investments to recover from. The ICRC is currently receiving assistance from other humanitarian organizations in Goma to continue providing medical aid.
Meanwhile, in the capital Kinshasa, members of parliament are discussing potential solutions to the conflict ahead of a summit with eastern and southern African leaders in Tanzania. President Felix Tshisekedi has sought parliamentary proposals to ensure broader legitimacy and representation in the government’s approach.
A dispute between DRC and Rwanda includes the presence of SADC troops, which DRC wants to strengthen while Rwanda opposes. This discord contributes to strained relations between eastern and southern African nations.