The Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) leaders have agreed to deploy troops to the Democractic Republic of Congo, and extended the bloc’s military mission in Mozambique, in a move they said is meant to bring peace to the region.

The resolutions were made after the 43^rd Ordinary Summit of SADC Heads of State and Government, the highest organ of the southern African bloc.

The decision means member states of the bloc could deploy a new mission to the DRC, making it three the number of foreign military missions in eastern parts of the country where hundreds of armed groups roam. The two others; the United Nations Stabilisation Mission in the Congo (Monusco) and the East African Community Regional Force (EACRF) have operated controversially, sometimes accused of being lethargic and facing angry civilians in protests.

This week, the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres announced Monusco will hasten their withdrawal, citing a hostile public opinion about the 15,000-troop mission. Monusco is supposed to leave completely by end of next year, starting this coming December.

EACRF on its part has its mandate until September this year and could be forced out if Kinshasa refuses to extend the Status of Force Agreement which is the country permission to allow the troops from the East African Community to deploy. EACRF was deployed in November last year and had its initial agreement extended by six months in March.

SADC’s decision, openly favoured by Kinshasa earlier, means the troops will be deployed as a complement of EACRF, rather than compete for attention.