THE Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has requested Zimbabwe to re-deploy its troops in the central African country to replace of a United Nations (UN) force that has been stationed there since 1999.
The DRC wants the UN mission, known as MONUC to start winding down its operations by June 30 when the vast country marks 50 years of independence from Belgium.
DRC Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mwampanga Mwanananga told the weekly Financial Gazette newspaper that SADC troops – to include Zimbabwe - should replace the UN force.
This comes eight years after Zimbabwe withdrew from the DRC after a costly adventure which some analysts blame for helping trigger the country’s economic collapse.
Mwanananga said the SADC deployment had helped avert disaster in his country.
"I would like to give credit to the SADC troops and (clarify) that the continuous massacres in the Congo are nothing but an illustration of the reason why SADC sent troops. It is time that the world woke up and congratulated SADC troops," Mwanananga said.
Zimbabwe deployed its troops to the DRC in September 1998 to help the late Laurent Desire Kabila ward-off rebels that were backed by Rwanda and Uganda.
The intervention by Zimbabwean troops helped prevent the fall of the Congelese capital Kinshasa into rebel hands while Angolan forces also fought back rebel advances in the eastern parts of the country.
A series of peace accords were later signed between the warring countries leading to elections that saw Kabila’s son, Joseph, take over as President.
Then defence minister Sydney Sekeramayi announced the withdrawal of Zimbabwean troops in October 2002.
The foreign troops were replaced by the MONUC but the DRC government now wants the UN forces to leave the country.
But Mwanananga said the UN mission was too “costly and ineffective”.
"Why is the DRC asking the forces (MONUC) to leave? It is because they are not efficient. They cost too much for very little. SADC forces including Zimbabwe would be much more efficient than MONUC forces.
“We would want SADC forces back because when Zimbabwe, Namibia, South Africa and Angola were in the DRC the death toll was reduced and there was relative peace in the DRC," Mwanananga said.
However UN officials have warned that a hasty pullout could undermine humanitarian efforts and lead to an escalation of rebel violence against civilians.