The Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) on Monday approved the deployment of a regional force to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to help restore peace and security in the eastern part of that country.

The decision was taken following the extraordinary summit of the Organ Troika of heads of state and government held in Windhoek.

The leaders approved a SADC common position to have a more coordinated approach, "given the multiple deployments under multilateral and bilateral arrangements in the eastern DRC."

They further urged the DRC government to put in place the necessary conditions and measures for effective coordination among sub-regional forces and bilateral partners operating in the country.

In a communiqué, the leaders expressed concern over the deteriorating security situation prevailing in the eastern DRC and reiterated their strong condemnation of the upsurge of conflicts and activities of armed groups, including the resurgence of M23 rebels.

The summit was convened by president Hage Geingob, the chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation.

South African president Cyril Ramaphosa, DRC president Felix Tshisekedi and Tanzanian president Saima Hassan also attended the Windhoek Summit, while the governments of Angola, Malawi and Zambia were also represented at the summit.