East African Leaders Urge Immediate Ceasefire in DRC Amid Escalating Violence

Synopsis

East African leaders have urgently called for an immediate ceasefire in the eastern DRC due to intensifying violence impacting humanitarian efforts in Goma. They emphasize the need for dialogue with all parties involved, including the M23 rebels, to achieve lasting peace.

Key Takeaways

Immediate ceasefire called for by East African leaders.
Ongoing violence disrupting humanitarian operations in Goma.
Leaders urge dialogue with M23 rebels.
Condemnation of attacks on diplomatic missions.
Upcoming joint summit with SADC to discuss future actions.

Nairobi, Jan 30 (NationPress) Leaders from East Africa have urgently requested an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), as ongoing hostilities have severely disrupted humanitarian efforts in the city of Goma.

During an emergency virtual summit, representatives from the East African Community (EAC) urged the DRC government to directly involve all relevant parties, including the M23 rebel group, in discussions aimed at achieving a peaceful resolution to the escalating violence.

According to a statement released from Nairobi, the leaders emphasized, "All involved parties in the conflict must halt hostilities and adhere to an immediate and unconditional ceasefire while ensuring humanitarian access for those affected."

Notably, President Felix Tshisekedi of the DRC, a member of the EAC, was absent from the summit chaired by Kenyan President William Ruto.

Attendees included Rwandan President Paul Kagame, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan, Somalian President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye, and South Sudanese President Salva Kiir.

The emergency session focused on the deteriorating security conditions in eastern DRC, particularly in Goma, where clashes between the DRC military and M23 rebels have escalated, as reported by Xinhua news agency.

The leaders expressed strong condemnation of attacks directed at diplomatic missions in Kinshasa, the capital of the DRC, and called for the government to safeguard embassies, their properties, and the personnel working there.

This summit followed the recent assaults on the embassies of Kenya, Uganda, and South Africa, as well as facilities belonging to the United Nations and France.

Furthermore, the leaders announced that a joint summit involving the EAC and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), which has also engaged in matters concerning eastern DRC, is set to occur shortly to discuss future actions.

The SADC is scheduled to convene an extraordinary summit on Thursday in Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe, to deliberate on the prevailing security situation in eastern DRC.