The President of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, has once again found himself facing serious regional diplomatic challenges after being denied the opportunity to speak at an extraordinary summit of Heads of State of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), held on 17 December 2025 via video conference.
This unusual decision by SADC was prompted by the DRC government’s failure to pay the financial contribution it had pledged to SADC forces deployed in North Kivu Province to fight the M23 movement, from late 2023 to early 2025.
The SADC troops, composed of soldiers from South Africa, Tanzania, and Malawi, had been deployed to North Kivu in support of the DRC government’s campaign against M23.
At the time, Kinshasa had committed to contributing USD 200 million to ensure that these forces were adequately equipped, paid, and logistically supported.
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However, as months passed, it became clear that the DRC had not honored this commitment. The troop-contributing countries began to complain that the lack of funding severely hampered the effectiveness of their forces, forcing them to cover many operational costs that were supposed to be borne by the Congolese government.
After M23 seized control of the city of Goma, SADC troops remained confined to their bases on the outskirts of the city for several months, facing serious operational constraints. Some analysts compared their situation to that of “prisoners of war who had not been defeated in battle.”
In 2025, following an agreement reached between M23 and other involved parties, these forces eventually withdrew and returned to their home countries in the middle of the year, leaving behind a political embarrassment and the unresolved issue of unpaid debts.
In August 2025, SADC issued a strong warning to the DRC government, demanding the immediate payment of the remaining USD 48 million owed under the agreed contribution. The regional bloc stated that failure to settle this debt could result in sanctions under SADC regulations, including the suspension or limitation of the DRC’s rights within the organization.
Since then, no concrete steps have been taken by Kinshasa to resolve the matter, further straining relations between the DRC and the countries that had deployed troops.
At the extraordinary SADC summit chaired by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Félix Tshisekedi was denied the opportunity to address the meeting—a decision widely interpreted as a strong signal that SADC has lost confidence in the DRC government.
The summit was attended by seven heads of state, including Cyril Ramaphosa (South Africa), Félix Tshisekedi (DRC), Duma Boko (Botswana), Col. Michael Randrianirina (Madagascar), Daniel Chapo (Mozambique), Dr. Nentumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah (Namibia), and Hakainde Hichilema (Zambia).
This exclusion was not limited to the level of heads of state. In preparatory meetings involving ministers and technical experts, representatives of the DRC had already been barred from speaking, due to Kinshasa’s continued failure to pay the outstanding debt.
Regional political analysts argue that this issue goes beyond money, reflecting a deeper crisis of governance and a breakdown of trust between the DRC and its regional partners.
Failure to honor international commitments and disregard for SADC warnings risk pushing Kinshasa further into diplomatic isolation.
There are also concerns that this situation could negatively affect regional cooperation aimed at resolving insecurity in eastern Congo, especially as international forces have signaled reluctance to deploy again without clear guarantees regarding funding and the responsibilities of the DRC government.
The decision to deny President Tshisekedi the floor at SADC offers a sobering lesson for the Congolese leadership: regional politics is not built on rhetoric alone, but on respect for agreements, responsibilities, and professionalism in governance.
Unless Kinshasa takes swift action to settle these debts and rebuild trust with partner countries, the DRC may continue to face serious diplomatic consequences, even as national and regional security remains fragile.
