The heads of State and Government of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), on Saturday, November 4, held an extra-ordinary summit where they discussed a number of issues including the bloc’s forthcoming military deployment to eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo).

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Chaired by Angolan president João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, the meeting was attended by his counterparts including Félix Tshisekedi of DR Congo, Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa, Samia Suluhu of Tanzania, Hakainde Hichilema of Zambia, and Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe.

In August, SADC leaders endorsed the deployment of a military force to DR Congo to restore peace and security in the country’s troubled eastern region.

As the deployment gets ready, Saturday’s extra-ordinary summit "provided strategic guidance” to the leaders regarding the deployment of the SADC mission to DR Congo.

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"(The)Summit reiterated the need for SADC to spearhead efforts towards mobilisation of resources for facilitating peace and security in the SADC Region. These efforts include reviving discussions to establish and operationalise the SADC Peace Fund. and engaging International Cooperating Partners,” read a communique from the meeting.

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If SADC deploys its military mission to DR Congo, the number of foreign military missions in the eastern parts of the country will rise to three. The two that are currently in the country are; the United Nations Stabilisation Mission in the Congo (Monusco) and the East African Community Regional Force (EACRF).