The truck-loads of material transported between SADC countries and the Democratic Republic of Congo is a sign that the region and the world’s largest copper producer are interdependent.
That is why watching the DRC electoral process degenerate into chaos will not only be bad for that country but the rest of the region and the world at large.
Zambia enjoys a significant amount of trade with the DRC. South Africa, Zimbabwe, Angola, Tanzania , Namibia and Botswana also have independent trade relations with the DRC. Basically, SADC has huge interest in the well-being of DRC.
Watching the electoral situation without action or intervention is courting trouble for the region.
South African President Cryril Ramaphosa and his counterparts in the region must be more concerned now that DRC leader Félix Tshisekedi is contemplating eliminating a strong opposition leader Moise Katumbi from the race.
Evidently, such a decision will not end well for the DRC and the region. It is this that SADC should be proactively working on to ensure the peace and tranquility of the region is intact.
Looking elsewhere and thinking this is a situation for the people of Congo to resolve is not the most reasonable way to handle matters.
It’s our hope that SADC leaders are watching their colleague Tshisekedi so that he does not plunge the Congo and the region into chaos.
Otherwise, the DRC is about to implode going by the machinations deployed to eliminate Katumbi from contesting the election.
