The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence and Veterans of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Guy Kabombo Muadiamvita, is on a working visit to South Africa from March 24 to 27, 2025. This mission aims to strengthen and expand bilateral defence relations between Pretoria and Kinshasa, at a time of heightened regional insecurity.
On Monday, March 24, Minister Muadiamvita held a private meeting in Pretoria with his South African counterpart, Angie Motshekga, Minister of Defence and Military Veterans. The two officials discussed ways to relaunch and deepen military cooperation, with a particular focus on the critical security situation in eastern DRC.
Military Capacity Building and Technical Cooperation
At the core of the discussions was the need to revitalize existing military agreements while introducing new areas of collaboration. Both parties emphasized strategic and technical cooperation, especially in the training of specialized units, including special forces, rapid reaction units, and personnel from air and naval forces.
The agenda also included knowledge transfer in the defence industry, modernization of intelligence and communication systems, and the establishment of regular institutional dialogue between both defence ministries. A formal revision of the current defence cooperation agreement is now underway, aiming to include new areas of engagement and formalize mutual commitments through a structured framework.
Strategic Alliance Taking Shape
In an official statement, Minister Motshekga emphasized the strategic value of this partnership, stating: “The defence collaboration between South Africa and the DRC is of paramount importance, not just for our two countries, but for the broader African continent. This partnership is crucial for fostering peace, security and stability across the region.”
This latest visit builds on momentum from earlier this year, when the South African Minister of Defence paid a courtesy visit to Kinshasa in January to meet her Congolese counterpart. The renewed dialogue signals a shared desire to move toward more operational cooperation, including joint military exercises, expert exchanges, and shared training programs.
Strategic Repositioning in the Post-SAMIRDC Context
According to some analysts, this renewed bilateral engagement comes at a key moment. Following the gradual withdrawal of SADC troops, particularly those deployed under the SAMIRDC mission in eastern Congo, South Africa appears to be seeking to maintain a strategic military presence in the DRC through direct bilateral frameworks. Strengthened defence agreements could provide a legal and diplomatic basis for continued deployment of South African troops already stationed in certain areas, such as Lubumbashi, and potentially for future deployments elsewhere in the country.
This bilateral approach offers Pretoria a new pathway for regional engagement outside the SADC framework, while allowing Kinshasa to diversify its military partnerships amid growing regional pressures, especially in the east, where Congolese forces remain engaged in active conflict with the M23 rebel group, widely reported to be backed by Rwanda.
Therwandan
