LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-President Lazarus Chakwera on Monday evening, March 24, 2025 held high level discussions with fellow Heads of State and Government of the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in a joint virtual joint Summit.

The summit which was co-chaired by President William Ruto of the Republic of Kenya and Chairperson of the EAC, and his counterpart President Emmerson Mnangagwa of the Republic of Zimbabwe and Chairperson of SADC, was convened to allow the heads to deliberate on a report on the security situation in the East of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which was presented during a similar Joint EAC-SADC Ministerial Meeting, that took place in Harare, Zimbabwe earlier this month.

In his opening remarks Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa, thanked the regional blocs for demonstrating a sense of solidarity in the face of adversity, in order to address the security issues in the DRC.

On the other hand, Co-Chairperson of the summit President William Ruto of Kenya, congratulated both Presidents Felix Tshisekedi of DRC and Paul Kagame of Rwanda-both in attendance-for their commitment to tackling the issues that affect the continent at large.

Meanwhile the joint summit applauded the co-chairpersons for collaborating admirably as they chaired the various summits.

This is the 2nd joint EAC – SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government, necessitated by the escalating security status in the DRC.

The first meeting was convened in Dar E’s Salaam on 8th February 2025.

In a communique following the deliberations of the 2nd meeting, the joint summit adopted the report on the state of security in the DRC, with a view to establishing short, medium and long term attainment of “peace and stability” in the DRC.

DRC has been mired in conflict for three decades with the recent conflict surging, following the seizure of the City of Goma in January this year, and at least three other locations by rebels.

Other leaders who were in attendance during Monday’s joint EAC-SADC Summit were President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa; President Samia Hassan Suluhu of Tanzania; President Hakainde Hichilema of Zambia and President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, among other leaders and representatives.