Repatriate deceased, wounded soldiers—Sadc
Malawi is among countries in the Southern Africa Development Community (Sadc) region called to immediately repatriate its soldiers killed and injured in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
This follows resolutions at an Extraordinary Summit of the Heads of State and Government of Sadc held on Friday in Harare, Zimbabwe, on the security situation in DRC where M23 rebels have intensified its offensive in the eastern part of the country.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Nancy Tembo represented President Lazarus Chakwera at the summit.
So far, three Malawi Defence Force (MDF) soldiers have been killed with only one body repatriated.
A communiqué from Sadc secretariat seen by Nation on Sunday yesterday states that during the deliberations on Friday, it was agreed that countries contributing soldiers to DRC should immediately send its ministers of defence to oversee repatriation of both wounded and deceased soldiers.
Reads the communiqué: “Summit called for the immediate dispatch of the ministers of defence, chiefs of defence and troop contributing countries to DRC to ensure that SAMIDRC [Southern African Development Community Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo] are safe and facilitate immediate repatriation of the deceased troops and those who are injured”.
During the summit, which was chaired by Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa, leaders expressed concerns that continued M23 rebel attacks are worsening the security and humanitarian situation and called for immediate restoration of essential utilities such as water, electricity, means of communication and supply line for food and other essential commodities.
The Sadc leaders further mandated the Sadc Organ Troika on Politics and Defence and Security Cooperation to engage all State and non-State parties to the conflict on a ceasefire process to protect lives and facilitate a smooth flow of humanitarian support to protect people and communities affected by the ongoing armed conflict.
On January 27 2025, MDF said in a statement that they are making arrangements to repatriate the two remaining deceased soldiers while the third was ferried to Malawi on January 15 2025 and laid to rest with military honours.
“Malawi Government through Sadc secretariat is making all efforts to bring the remains of the two fallen soldiers to Malawi as soon as feasibly possible,” reads part of the statement.
Malawi’s soldiers are part of SAMIDRC-a Sadc regional force comprising South Africa, Tanzania and Malawi and elements of DRC Armed Forces who are working with the Forces Armees de la Republique Democratique du Congo in fighting the M23 rebels operating in Eastern DRC.
Deployment of soldiers under SAMIDRC, whose Force Commander is Major general Monwabisi Dyakopu from South Africa, was approved on May 8 2023 during an Extraordinary Sadc Summit of Heads of State and Government in Windhoek, Namibia.
The agreement to deploy soldiers was in direct response to a continued unstable and deteriorating security situation in eastern DRC.