The organization's presidency had announced the summit would be held this Thursday, with the aim of addressing the situation in eastern DR Congo and other regional conflicts.
The purpose of this "extraordinary meeting" is to discuss issues related to eastern DR Congo, where the situation is "worrying" after the anti-government armed group M23 and Rwandan forces took over the region's main city, Goma, in recent days, said this Thursday the secretary general of SADC, Elias Magosi.
Several of the foreign soldiers, from South Africa and Malawi, killed in North Kivu last week were part of the SADC mission (SAMIDRC), stationed near Goma.
His withdrawal could be decided on Friday, according to the Daily Maverick, a South African media outlet, following a meeting on Tuesday of the SADC troika, the body that deals with security issues.
When asked about the summit agenda, Elias Magosi did not provide details. "These are issues that will still be discussed at the summit," he said.
SAMIDRC, deployed in the region since late 2023 to support Congolese forces against the M23, includes 2900 South African soldiers as well as troops from Malawi and Tanzania.
Rwandan President Paul Kagame said Thursday that "this is not a peacekeeping force" and "has no place in this situation." He also warned South Africa that he was not afraid of a "confrontation" with that country over the issue.
The mission of SADC, which includes 16 member states, is to "promote sustainable and equitable economic growth and socio-economic development" in the region.
South Africa, Tanzania, Malawi and Angola, the mediators in the DR Congo crisis, are members of SADC, but not Rwanda.
