EAC heads of state in Addis meeting to assess situation in DRC
The East African Community (EAC) has given a new directive to armed groups from the territories they are operating and currently occupy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo -DRC, to implement an immediate ceasefire and withdraw.
This directive was passed in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on February 17, 2023, as a follow-up to the decision of the 20th Extra-Ordinary Summit in Bujumbura, Burundi, on February 4, 2023.
Later held an assessment of the security situation in eastern DRC and an update on the security situation from the EAC-led Nairobi Process facilitator and the Force Commander of the EAC Regional Force.
Following the directives of the Heads of State, a meeting of the Chiefs of Defense Forces/Chiefs of Staff (CDF/CDS) of the EAC was convened in Nairobi, Kenya on 9 February 2023 to plan the implementation of the directives of the Heads of State.
During consultations on the ceasefire and withdrawal by armed groups, the Chiefs of Defense Forces of the EAC participating states decided that the EAC Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (EAC-MVM) should be formed and deployed by the EAC Secretariat with membership by 28 February 2023 Will go from all EAC participating states.
EAC Secretary-General Peter Mutuku Mathuki welcomed the decision of the Chiefs of Defense Forces to deploy the EAC-MVM to monitor and verify the cease-fire and disengagement by all armed groups and called for immediate action to expedite the deployment of the EAC. Said- MVM, which will play a central role in ending the hostilities.
In a related development, a mini-summit chaired by Angolan President Joao Lourenco in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Friday, February 17, discussed ways to house massive DRC refugees in Rwanda and other African countries, among other solutions to the DRC crisis. Took a resolution repatriated.
Rwanda is home to more than 76,000 Congolese refugees, some of whom have been living in refugee camps for more than 25 years.
DR Congo refugees in Rwanda have made it clear before that they are tired of living as refugees. Last month, they organized demonstrations in various camps and asked their government to do its best and bring them back.
They also presented their petition to the various embassies operating in Rwanda, asking them to put pressure on their government.