Defence ministers from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) had an unscheduled meeting in Cape Town on March 8 to discuss growing tensions in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The SADC interstate defence and security council met under the chairmanship of South African defence minister Mosiuoa Lekota, who said he called the meeting to discuss the SADC standby brigade and the violence occurring in the eastern DRC. 

He refused to divulge if the meeting would also discuss a stepping up of activity by the United Nations, saying this might be revealed after the discussions.

08 March 2005