EAC heads of state agree on regional force to stabilize eastern DRC

President Uhuru Kenyatta (2nd d) and the President of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Félix Tshisekedi (g), meeting on April 8, 2022 in Nairobi.

On this date, the DRC signed the treaty of accession to the East African Community.

© TONY KARUMBAAFP

Text by: RFI Follow

1 min

Leaders of the East African Community (EAC) are taking a step closer to creating a regional military force to help bring peace to eastern DRC.

This is the main conclusion of the summit held on Monday in Nairobi.

Heads of State from 6 of the 7 EAC countries were present: Kenya, DRC, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda and South Sudan.

Tanzania was represented by its ambassador.

The meeting lasted four hours.

Advertising

Read more

With our correspondent in Nairobi,

According to the Congolese presidency, this regional force will be placed under the military command of Kenya.

It should be operational in the coming weeks and should not include within it elements of the Rwandan army.

The DRC had already indicated on Tuesday that it did not want Rwanda in this force, since it accuses its neighbor of supporting the M23 rebels, which Kigali denies.

Ceasefire requested and withdrawal of positions taken

The general communiqué issued by the Kenyan presidency is more general, it indicates that the Heads of State have adopted a series of documents which define in particular the status and structure of the future force, its missions and the geographical distribution of its troops, but without providing further details.

Also according to the Kenyan presidency, the EAC Heads of State call for an immediate ceasefire and the withdrawal of positions taken recently, in this case,

under the control of the M23 rebels since one week.

PRESS RELEASE: THE 3RD HEADS OF STATE CONCLAVE ON THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO🇨🇩@StateHouseKenya @PaulKagame @KagutaMuseveni @GeneralNeva @Presidence_RDC @SouthSudanGov @ikulumawasliano @pmathuki @EA_Bunge @EACJCourt pic.twitter.com/ef9SabpdPu

— East African Community (@jumuiya) June 20, 2022

EAC Heads of State also call for an end to hate speech.

In recent days, several voices have expressed concern about the multiplication of calls for violence

living in the DRC.

The 3rd #EAC Heads of State Conclave on Inter-Congolese Dialogue is currently underway in #Nairobi to evaluate the security situation in the East of the #DRC.

@StateHouseKenya @PaulKagame @KagutaMuseveni @GeneralNeva @Presidence_RDC @SouthSudanGov @ikulumawasliano pic.twitter.com/YU0CQJqzYH

— East African Community (@jumuiya) June 20, 2022

►Also read: Tensions between the DRC and Rwanda: calls for de-escalation are increasing

Newsletter

Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox

I subscribe

Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application

google-play-badge_EN

• ground floor

• Defense