Malawi’s President Lazarus Chakwera has ordered the withdrawal of his country’s soldiers from the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), according to a statement released on Wednesday.
The statement said Chakwera has ordered the Malawi Defence Force (MDF) to begin preparations for the pullout from the troubled Congolese region.
“President Chakwera has ordered the MDF commander to begin preparations for the withdrawal of Malawian troops… to honour the declaration of a ceasefire by the warring parties there and to pave the way for their planned negotiations towards a lasting peace,” the statement said.
The Malawian troops are part of a Southern African Development Community (SADC) contingent deployed to assist the DRC government in tackling armed insurgents.
The SADC mission, which was extended late last year, has faced significant challenges, including casualties among peacekeepers.
The conflict in the DRC, particularly in the eastern provinces of North and South Kivu, has been ongoing for decades.
The region has been plagued by violence involving numerous armed groups, including the M23, which is backed by Rwanda.
The fighting has resulted in thousands of deaths and the displacement of millions of people.
In recent weeks, the situation has escalated with the M23 capturing the strategic city of Goma in North Kivu.
The rebel group declared a unilateral ceasefire on Tuesday, citing humanitarian reasons.
However, clashes have continued, with the rebels reportedly taking control of the mining town of Nyabibwe in South Kivu.
The SADC mission has faced significant losses, with at least 20 peacekeepers, including 14 South Africans and three Malawians, killed in recent fighting.
The mission, which includes troops from South Africa, Tanzania and Malawi, was initially deployed in 2023 and extended until December this year.
Leaders from SADC and the East African Community are set to meet in Tanzania to discuss ways to broker peace between the warring parties.
