The heads of state of the East African region recommended, Sunday, February 19, the establishment of a joint plan to resolve the security crisis in the east of the DRC. They made the recommendation at the African Union (AU) mini-summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
These EAC member countries believe that this joint plan will help de-escalate tensions and normalize political-diplomatic relations between the DRC and Rwanda.
They also reiterated the call for a cessation of hostilities, in particular the M23 attacks against the FARDC and MONUSCO.
In a communiqué signed, the EAC countries returned to the cantonment and disarming of the M23 on Congolese territory under the control of the Congolese authorities, the regional force, the ad hoc verification mechanism and the UN mission.
They insisted on the return of displaced persons to their places of origin as well as Congolese refugees in Rwanda as mentioned in the Luandas road map.
The Heads of State mandated the Republic of Angola in collaboration with the EAC’s designated facilitator, Uhuru Kenyata, to contact the M23 command in order to convey the decisions of the Addis Ababa mini-summit.
They also called for the acceleration of the implementation of the PDDRCS programme and the promotion of political and diplomatic dialogue for a lasting solution to this crisis.
