SADC regional leaders are set to extend the bloc's peacekeeping mission deadline in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) during the extraordinary summit in Zimbabwe's capital, Harare, tomorrow.

The SADC mission deployed to the eastern DRC is set to end in December.

However, recommendations are that the mission be extended as part of the ongoing political and diplomatic initiatives to return the eastern parts of the country to normalcy.

The initiatives include the two-week humanitarian truce that was reached in July this year and a ceasefire deal reached between the DRC and Rwanda in August.

However, the security situation remains a regional concern, which SADC leaders say requires constant monitoring.

The bloc's extension of its mission will re-enforce the recent UN Security Council resolution authorising MONUSCO's support.

"We agreed to work together in the implementation of Resolution 2746 and to continuously engage with each other with a common purpose of ensuring lasting peace and security in this part of our region. The Secretariat is committed to ensuring continuous and constant engagement with the relevant UN agencies for security and humanitarian support," said SADC Executive Secretary Elias Magosi.

However, the mission's deployment presented a huge financial challenge for the region, whose economies had been affected by external shocks, leading to contracted growth.

Despite this, SADC is taking a non-negotiable approach to the region's stability, with the Secretariat cautioning against overdependence on external assistance to support peacekeeping missions.

"As we have said before, investing in regional peace and security is a worthwhile investment that transcends any amount of money spent; it is a foundation for sustainable development and prosperity of the SADC region."

The extension would be the first since the deployment of the SADC mission to the DRC if approved during the extraordinary summit on Wednesday.