The Joint Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) (hereinafter called Joint Summit) held a virtual Meeting on 24th March 2025 in a warm and cordial atmosphere to deliberate on the report of the joint EAC SADC Ministers on the security situation in the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
The Joint Summit was Co-Chaired by His Excellency, Dr. William Samoei Ruto, CGH, President of the Republic of Kenya and Chairperson of the EAC and His Excellency Dr. Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, President of the Republic of Zimbabwe and Chairperson of SADC.
The Joint Summit was attended by the following Heads of State and Government:
His Excellency, Dr. William Samoei Ruto, CGH, President of the Republic of Kenya; His Excellency, Dr. Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, President of the Republic of Zimbabwe; His Excellency, Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo; His Excellency Évariste Ndayishimiye, President of the Republic of Burundi; His Excellency Andry Rajoelina, President of the Republic of Madagascar, His Excellency Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, President of the Republic of Malawi; His Excellency, Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda; His Excellency, Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa, President of the Republic of South Africa; Her Excellency, Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan, President of the United Republic of Tanzania; His Excellency, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, President of the Republic of Uganda;
His Excellency, Mr. Hakainde Hichilema, President of the Republic of Zambia; His Excellency Hamza Abdi Barre, Prime Minister of the Republic of Somalia representing His Excellency, Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud, President of the Federal Republic of Somalia; His Excellency, Ambassador Téte António, Minister of External Relations, Republic of Angola representing H.E. João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço President of the Republic of Angola; and Honourable Deng Alor Kuol, Minister of East African Community Affairs, representing His Excellency, Salva Kiir Mayardit, President of the Republic of South Sudan. .
The Joint EAC-SADC Ministers, Executive Secretary of SADC, and the Secretary General of the EAC participated in the meeting.
The Joint Summit recalled the decisions of the 1st Joint EAC SADC Summit held on 08th February 2025 in Dar es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania on the situation in Eastern DRC the resolutions of the 1261st Summit Level Meeting of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union held on 14th February 2025 and the UN Security Council Resolution 2773 held on 21st February 2025, all of which laid emphasis on the need for concerted efforts towards addressing the deteriorating security situation in Eastern DRC.
The Joint Summit adopted the Report on the outcomes of the Joint EAC-SADC Meeting of Ministers held on 17th March 2025 in Harare, Republic of Zimbabwe including the Report of the Joint Meeting of Chiefs of Defence, the Roadmap detailing immediate, medium- and long-term implementation measures to attain sustainable peace and security in eastern DRC directed for a speedy implementation of the same by the relevant parties.
The Joint Summit directed the commencement of the implementation of the Report and the Roadmap.
The Joint Summit taking into account gender, regional and language inclusivity, appointed the following eminent persons to the Panel of Facilitators: His Excellency, Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of Nigeria; His Excellency, Uhuru Kenyatta, former President of Kenya; His Excellency, Kgalema Motlanthe, former President of South Africa; Her Excellency, Catherine Samba Panza, former President of Central African Republic; Her Excellency, Sahle-Work Zewde, former President of Ethiopia.
The EAC and SADC Secretariats to notify the Facilitators of the Joint Summit’s unanimous appointment and convey the outcomes of this Summit to the AU and UN Council.
The Joint Summit directed the Co-chairs to convene a briefing session with the panel of Facilitators within the next seven days; the briefing should be done jointly by SADC, EAC and the African Union.
The Joint Summit expressed gratitude to the Chairpersons of EAC and SADC for successfully co-chairing the virtual Joint Summit, and for their leadership towards the attainment of lasting peace and security in the Eastern DRC and wider region.
The Joint Summit expressed its appreciation to the EAC and SADC Secretariats for the preparatory work undertaken leading to the Summit.
DONE virtually this 24th day of March 2025 in English, French and Portuguese languages, all texts being equally authentic. (End)