SADC has proposed that the issue of the ongoing conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) be escalated to the African Union and the United Nations.

President Hage Geingob, who is also the Chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence, and Security Cooperation, said this during a visit from Huang Xia at the State House.

Huang is the Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for the Great Lakes region.

The purpose of the Special Envoy's visit was to seek Namibia's perspective on the security situation in the Great Lakes region, with a specific focus on the eastern DRC.

Recognising the efforts made by SADC and other regional organisations, of which the DRC is a member, the UN has commended its endeavours to find peaceful resolutions to the conflict that has resulted in the displacement of thousands of people.

During the recently conducted Extra-Ordinary Summit of the SADC Organ Troika, SADC Troika, and Force Intervention Brigade Troop Contributing Countries, a resolution was reached to advocate for the African Union to organise a trilateral summit involving all regional groupings.

The objective of this summit is to harmonise the interventions of various stakeholders involved in addressing the situation in the DRC.

The trilateral summit, involving the AU and various regional groupings, is expected to take place prior to the UN General Assembly.