DAR ES SALAAM, Aug. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Southern African Development Community (SADC) officials met on Wednesday to discuss ways of restoring peace and security in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

"The restoration of peace and security in DRC will enable the vast country to concentrate on development activities," Palamagamba Kabudi, chairman of the SADC Council of Ministers and Tanzania's Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, told a news conference in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam.

Kabudi said the meeting conducted through video conference was attended by six SADC member states of Tanzania, DRC, Malawi, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Zambia.

"Since last year SADC and the United Nations have engaged in discussions aimed at restoring peace and security in DRC, especially in the eastern part of the country where there had been unrest caused by rebels," said Tanzania's top diplomat.

Kabudi said the meeting also discussed ways and means of strengthening the Force Intervention Brigade to protect the country from further civil unrest.

Tanzania is the current chair of the SADC, an inter-governmental organization established in 1992 to further socio-economic cooperation and integration as well as political and security cooperation among 16 members.